Inside Out AU: An 'Emotional' School Year
by StarNerve
Summary: In an alternate universe where the humans of Inside Out didn't exist, Joy Starlight, Sadie Teardrop, Felix Nerveling, Desiree Greene, and Angus Brickman spend their final year in high school searching for a purpose. Conflicts are made, trust is built, romance ensues, enemies reconcile, and emotions are tested. FINISHED! (JxF, DxA, F/S, Parents' Emotions)
1. Chapter 1: An Emotional School Year

**Hello to all you Fanfiction readers! This is my first alternate universe story featuring Inside Out characters as humans. In other words, all humans in Inside Out (Riley, Riley's parents, Jordan, etc.) didn't exist. I hope this comes out as well executed. You might be surprised on who's who and what their portrayal is or whatever…Or you'll probably be thinking: I'm not surprised. I wanted to copy some names as an inspiration from some of the IO AU stories I read, but they probably might think I'm stealing their ideas… and I don't want to, nor do I mean to.**

 **In the meantime, happy reading! Riley's parents' emotions serve as Riley's Emotions' parents…. If you know what I mean. However, because I'm letting Fear and Sadness be siblings, their parents would be: Riley's Dad's Fear as their dad and Riley's Mom's Sadness as their mom. I would let Anger and Sadness be siblings but for some reason I decided not to. And it looked reasonable too…**

* * *

Joy woke up early on a Monday. It was her first day of going to her new high school: High School Headquarters. The young girl was born and raised by a happy family. They all had the same characteristics: happiness, optimism, anything that rhymes with her name, Joy. She removed her pyjamas, put on her chartreuse dress and headed downstairs. Her parents had just prepared her lunch for her. The girl was fairly tall and had blue hair. She usually kept her hair tied. Joy was sixteen and to this day she still managed to keep that smile on her face ever since she was born.

"Morning mom! Morning dad!" she greeted.

"Ah, good to see you're awake, darling!" greeted Joy's mother. Joy's mom had brown hair, often tied – just like her daughter's – and wore red glasses. Meanwhile, her father was reading a newspaper. He had blue hair, like Joy, and wears a moustache on his face. He took a sip of coffee and greeted his daughter with a smile.

"Hey! How's my little bundle of Joy?" he greeted.

"Great, dad! I've never been so excited in my life! I can't believe I'm going to be in a new school with a new group of friends… do you think they'll be just as lively and cheerful as my friends in my last school?" she asked excitedly.

"Oh I sure hope so, sweetie!" said her mother. She put Joy's lunch in a paper bag and placed it in her schoolbag. "Here's your lunch, Joy: Steak with broccoli on the side!"

"Oh, I love that! It's healthy too!" Joy replied.

"That's my girl!" chirped her father. After eating her pancakes and drinking her orange juice, she packed her bag with her newly bought books and headed for the door. Before she did, she gave her parents a kiss goodbye. They even had a laugh together.

"I'm off to school now! Bye, mom, bye, dad!" she shouted with excitement.

"Good luck, Joy!" said her mom.

"Yeah, and don't forget to have fun!" joked her dad.

"How can I forget? I always have fun, dad!" Joy laughed and calmly closed the door behind her while hearing her parents laugh back. She took a deep breath and prepared for a short walk to school. Of course, Joy was never bored. When she had no one to talk to, she would talk to herself!

"Oh my goodness I am so excited for what's in store for my new school! Are there many people? Are they nice? Oh I hope they are! And I bet the teachers must be friendly too. Heck, everyone might be just as happy as I am, just like in my old school! Oh, that would be ten times better! I can't wait, I can't wait, I CAN'T WAIT!" she screamed to herself while catching the attention of some people, who looked at her with bewilderment. All of a sudden, she gasped with wonder. "I wonder if I'll find someone who likes me… all my friends were in a relationship, and my parents want me to find someone…. I want to find someone. That school could be it!" she squealed again. After minutes of talking to herself she finally reached her new school.

Joy gasped. "There it is… it's… it's beautiful!"

She jumped up with joy and ran to her new school with exhilaration. She reached the front yard and looked around. She could see lots of trees, benches, grass, and the best of all: students! And new students calls for new friends. She caught sight of a green-haired girl hanging out with a group of what appeared to be popular kids.

"She must be their leader," she mumbled. She smiled and took several steps forward with confidence.

"Hi!" she greeted.

However, as Joy stepped forward she noticed that the group was making fun of someone. Their laugh wasn't a happy laugh to her. Joy knows when something is done with joy or not. Their laugh sounded sinister, like they were mocking someone.

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to touch your stuff. I was just curious!" Joy heard a girl cry. Her voice was soft and pleading, yet guilty and weary.

"I don't care if you mean it or not! All that matters is you messed with my stuff and now I'm messing with yours," said what Joy thought was the leader. Joy didn't know what to call her yet. But she was feeling something… it was not a happy feeling.

"If you do that, I'll-"

"Or what? You'll tell your brother on me? I'm sorry to say this but he's too weak just like you. Any last words before I rip your book in half? Three words is your limit, weirdo!"

"Oh I'll give you three words! How about: Leave her alone?" Joy interrupted sternly. The girls gasped, and so did the leader. The leader turned around. Her hair was green, and so were her eyes. She wore heavy makeup: eyeliner and lipstick. She also wore a floral green dress with a magenta scarf. She wore green leggings underneath her dress and her feet were covered in stylish green shoes. _She probably knows a lot about fashion_ , _but she sure doesn't seem friendly,_ Joy thought.

"What did you say?" the girl mocked and stepped towards Joy. Joy glared and did the same until their faces met.

"I said: _Leave her alone_!" Joy repeated, her voice getting louder.

The girl sneered, then smirked. "You must be new here. As if any oldie is brave enough to stand against me. But I'll listen because I couldn't think any less of you, newbie. If you get in my way again, I'll have Angus come in to have you reported! Come on, girls," she said before flipping her green hair and shoving Joy out of her way. Then she received more shoves as the rest of the group left her.

Meanwhile, Joy rushed to the victim of the incident. The girl was shorter than her. She was chubby and also had blue hair like Joy. She had blue eyes and wore navy blue glasses. She wore a white turtleneck sweater, navy blue leggings and slippers of the same color. Her books were all over the floor and she hugged herself, wishing her brother was there to comfort her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Joy asked softly. The girl lifted her face up to look at Joy. Her face was wet with tears. Joy quickly searched her bag and gave her a handkerchief. "Here, wipe your face," she said.

"Thank you," sniffed the girl as she took the kerchief and blew her nose on it. When she gave it back, Joy insisted she'd keep it.

"That girl… she was bullying you! I've never seen a bully like her before," Joy stated. Generally speaking, she never met a bully before.

"She bullies everyone. Especially me," whined the girl.

"What's her name anyway?" Joy asked.

"Desiree…"

"Who's Angus?" Joy asked again.

"Angus is like Desiree's bodyguard… they're both very close," Sadie answered.

"Oh… what's your name?" Joy asked. "I'm sorry for the silly questions… I'm just curious."

"I'm… I'm Sadie," she answered.

"Sadie… I like it! It's nice to meet you! I'm Joy," Joy introduced herself and took Sadie's hand to shake it. Sadie accepted it uneasily.

"You're the new kid right?" Sadie asked.

"Indeed I am!" said Joy gleefully. "And don't worry. I'll make sure Desiree doesn't try to hurt you again. Here, let me help you with those!" Joy added and picked up Sadie's books for her.

"Wow… thanks," Sadie muttered and took her now full bag. Joy helped her up and Sadie started to make a run for it. "I gotta go now. Thanks for sticking up for me, Joy!" she thanked one last time before she went out of sight.

"Hey, wait! What about your brother?"

"He's usually late. I'll see you later!" she answered, her voice fading and blending in with the crowd's.

"But I want to go with you!" Joy waved wholeheartedly while trying to catch up to Sadie. For a chubby girl, she could sure run fast! However she nearly lost sight of her.

"Sadie!" Joy called. The girl reached the interior of the school. It was a lot bigger on the inside. Joy was excited. First she met her first friend, and now she couldn't be happier of her new school. It looked dazzling! In the meantime, she focused on finding Sadie, whom she lost in the crowd full of students. Classes haven't started yet, but it's bound to start soon.

Joy was more concerned for Sadie. What if she got bullied again by Desiree? Or worse: what if this Angus guy came in and bullied Sadie by beating her up? She was worried. Unaware to her, she unconsciously heard someone saying 'Excuse me!' or 'Coming through!' or 'Where is she?' and grunts can be heard from the crowd.

"Oh Sadie… where are you?" Joy called out. She turned around and someone's face was inches away from hers. Sadie was nowhere to be found.

"Look out!" he said before bumping into her. The two yelped as they hit each other. Books and papers went flying everywhere and it caught the surrounding students' attention. Joy groaned and rubbed her head painfully and so did the boy. The students who noticed knew who messed up and went on with their business, pretending nothing happened. _Why would they leave like that instead of helping us?_ Joy thought.

The boy shook his head painfully and noticed that he bumped Joy. The boy had purple hair, same goes for his eyes. He had purple hair with one strand standing out. He was tall, just about Joy's height. But Joy may be a bit taller. Either he was tall, or just lanky. He wears a powder blue long-sleeved shirt with linear designs. His shirt was worn underneath a hound's-tooth vest with a magenta bowtie resting just below his neck. He wore violet pants and black, formal shoes. The boy gasped and rushed to her aid. "I am so sorry! I didn't know you were, I was just, I was in a hurry a-and—"

"Hey, it's okay! I'm fine," Joy assured him.

"Are you sure? Do you have any cuts? Bruises? Paper cuts? Paper bruises!?" the boy stammered.

"Relax! I'm okay. See?" she said before showing him that she was unharmed. "You looked like you're in a hurry."

"Oh, I'm always in a hurry. H-here, let me help you up," he said before taking her hand and pulling her up with him.

"Oh… thank you," Joy mumbled.

"Don't mention it." The two stared at each other for a moment before the boy knew what he was doing and crouched back down to pick up his belongings. Joy looked at him confusedly and crouched with him. "I'll help you."

"No, no, no, please, I got it. Thank you," he said.

"No, I insist!" Joy protested.

"I can assure you I don't need your-" The boy paused, only to realize that Joy had already helped him. "Help," he finished.

"Hey, four hands are better than two!" Joy responded.

The boy looked away and laughed sheepishly. "Y-yeah I guess…"

"I'm Joy by the way!" Joy greeted and held her hand out. The boy said nothing and there was silence between the two. "What's your name?" Joy asked.

The boy remained silent and didn't take her hand.

"Come on, don't be shy," she said. "Take my hand and shake it with me!"

"You're not going to flip me over, are you?" he asked unsurely.

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know… that's just something Angus would do. Everyone in the whole school started doing the same thing thanks to him," he explained solemnly.

"I'm new here," Joy pointed out.

"Oh… Oh! Now that you mentioned it," he took her hand and introduced himself with a genuine smile. "I'm Felix."

"Nice to meet you, Felix!" Joy giggled. The boy chuckled shyly.

"So… why were you in a rush again?" Joy asked. Felix's face turned to panic.

"Oh shoot, you're right! I got to find Sadie!" Felix screamed and placed the straps of his bag on his shoulders. Then he made a run for it. "I got to go!"

"Wait, I'm looking for Sadie too!" Joy screamed. Unlike Sadie, Felix heard what Joy had said. He turned his head around to look at her.

"Why are you looking for my sister?" he asked with suspicion.

"You're Sadie's brother?" Joy asked in shock.

"Y-yeah… I know, it's crazy weird right?" Felix answered sheepishly.

"I met her at the wrong time. Apparently she was being bullied by this girl named Desiree," Joy informed

"What?! Are you kidding me!? I need to get to her fast! Do you know where she went?" Felix cried. All of a sudden the bell rang and everyone headed for their classrooms.

"NO!" Felix shouted in defeat. Joy looked around confusedly. She didn't know what to do. And that was only her first day! Then Felix rose back up with an idea. "Wait, I just realized we're in the same class together!"

"I want to know where my class is, please," Joy pleaded.

"Do you have your class schedule?" Felix asked.

"Yep! I'm an organized freak," Joy chuckled. Felix smiled at that. The girl searched through her bag and gave Felix a piece of paper containing her designated classroom along with her subject schedule. He looked back at her with a smile.

"H-hey, you're in my class!" Felix announced.

"Really?" Joy asked with excitement.

"Yeah! You're in Core 1, which is that way!" he said and pointed his finger forward to the end of the hall.

"Then let's go!" Joy screamed with excitement, took Felix's hand and ran towards their room.

"W-wah! H-Hey! Slow down! We could get hurt if you run!" he cried. Joy looked at him with a comforting smile.

"Sorry, but I don't want to be late on my first day!"

* * *

 **That's it for this chapter! I hope you like it and if you're asking for more, feel free to shout out in the review section. I always wanted to make a High School AU and I did! I'm happy with this one. The Truth or Dare story won't be updated for a while. So here's the revealed cast:**

 **Joy: Joy (This is mainstream for those writing IO AU's)**

 **Sadie: Sadness (It's the closest I could think of. And I think I heard of this name in one of the AU stories I read. )**

 **Felix: Fear**

 **Desiree: Disgust (I'm sorry if I made her the antagonist… it looks so fitting.)**

 **Angus: Anger (He'll also be an antagonist… to Fear/Felix mostly.)**

 **Joy's Mom: Mrs. Andersen's Joy**

 **Joy's Dad: Mr. Andersen's Joy**

 **There will be more character introductions soon. In the meantime, feel free to review and fave whenever necessary.**

 **Flames? Not a problem. Anyone who flames will burn in them and be eaten as marshmallows for the Emotions' enjoyment. This'll be the last time I say this because it's getting kind of old.**


	2. Chapter 2: An Emotional Lunch Break

**For the record, there are NO OCs in this story. If there were, they would only be background characters AND they would be based on minor emotions such as love, surprise, etc. I don't come up with them for nothing. The teachers and staff will be names of the MIND WORKERS in the movie. Search up the characters and you'll see a few mind worker names revealed. This is a Human AU fiction.**

 **Here's a quick update on the second chapter. But before I push on, I'll reply to your reviews. :)**

 **Guest: Thanks! And that's fine. All the good names were taken by several fan-fiction writers, not that I'm complaining. I loved their stories! They inspired me to make this one.**

 **Mindykalingfan: Thank you and I will! You read my mind for this chapter.**

 **ErinMilne: Haha thanks! That's all thanks to Joy – she gets along with everyone very quickly… well almost everyone. *cough*DisgustandAnger*cough* Yea, Disgust and Anger look like suitable antagonists for the time being.**

 **Guest: LMAO or she'd be close to barfing.**

 **Kahwahii: Thanks! I like your name by the way. Your profile picture complements it! :D**

 **VickyT36: Thank you!**

 **Shychick: Aww thanks! I love Fear and Sadness as a shipping too albeit I love them as siblings more. But seeing them as a pairing is also cute! And thanks! I had to come up with different names since I'm not the only one who came up with AU stories based on them.**

 **There will obviously be hints of Starnerve but it's not going to happen so soon just yet. If it did, you'll probably be thinking: Well that escalated quickly.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the second chapter!**

* * *

Joy rushed through the semi-empty halls until they reached the end. She looked to her left and saw the label: **Core 1** written on it. She grinned. "This is the place right, Felix?"

She received no answer. Even though she was holding his hand, she looked down and saw Felix rocking himself back in forth. She let go of his hand, which he used to help his other hand hug his knees, and tapped his shoulder. Felix snapped out of his thoughts and shook Joy frantically.

"Don't ever do that again! I could have died of a heart attack!" he cried.

"Whoa, no need to be hysterical," Joy managed to say.

"S-Sorry… I'm always so jumpy and fearful all the time. It's like I was born this way. Let's just go inside." He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room. The teacher caught sight of Felix and the new student and smiled.

"Good morning, Felix."

"Morning, Mr. Fritz!" Felix greeted. He gently pulled Joy next to him and gestured his hand to her. "This is Joy! She'll be staying with our class for the year."

"That's splendid to hear! Do you two know each other?" Mr. Fritz questioned.

Felix released Joy's arm hastily and shook his head. "N-No…. I mean we just met and I bumped into her and she dragged me all the way here because she didn't want to be late and here we are now!" he murmured before letting out a nervous laugh.

"Interesting story. Feel free to sit anywhere you like. Although I recommend you sit next to Felix. He seems to be your first friend in this school," Mr. Fritz said.

Joy looked at him confusedly. Felix wasn't her first friend; Sadie was! "A-actually Felix isn't my—"

"Joy, is that you?" asked a soft voice. Joy turned around and gasped with delight.

"Sadie! It's you!" Joy exclaimed and gave her new friend a hug. Felix's eyes widened in surprise. He remembered the incident Joy had said to him.

"Sadie! Are you okay? Joy told me that Desiree was bullying you again," Felix said worriedly before hugging his little sister tightly.

"I'm fine, Felix," Sadie said and pulled away from the hug. Then she pointed at Joy. "She saved my life!" she said with a cheerful smile. The thing that shocked Felix was that Joy managed to make Sadie smile. He hasn't seen her smile because of anyone but him before! Other than him and the fact that she keeps getting high grades, he found someone who made her feel happy. Meanwhile, Joy was happy. _They must really care for each other_ , she thought.

"You… did that?" Felix whispered.

Joy smiled. "I couldn't just let that girl bully her," she said. All of a sudden, she was locked in an embrace by Felix.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for sticking up to her!" he said. Joy smiled warmly and returned the hug.

"Aww… it's no biggie. Is it alright if I sit with you two? Desiree isn't here, is she?" Joy asked and looked around.

"Yes! Sit with us please! I-if you want to…" Sadie said excitedly before her voice lowered shyly.

"Thankfully no… she's right next door with her 'bodyguard', Angus," Felix answered while quoting 'bodyguard'.

Joy cocked an eyebrow. But she kept her smile on. "Okay then! Where do you sit?"

"We usually sit up front. I saved you a seat in case you would be in our class," Sadie explained and pointed to the reserved chair. Joy smirked and nodded.

"Aww thanks!" she said and took a seat. Sadie sat in between Felix and Joy. While the teacher started talking about a topic, Joy couldn't help but think. She was bewildered. She's never been in a school like this before. Everyone seemed so… different. They weren't happy all the time like her former classmates were. They were sad, scared, mean, bossy, and dull. She wasn't used to being around those kinds of people… or maybe she never got the chance to stick around with them. Maybe she had, but she stayed away. Because she didn't want any negatives in her life, she walked away. But why didn't she just now?

Hours later, lunch has arrived. Joy introduced herself in class, her first recess break was great, but she reserved her lunch for… lunch. She spent most of her time with Felix and Sadie. During lunch, she caught Felix and Sadie sitting away from most of the students on their own table.

"Hey guys!" Joy asked while walking towards them.

Felix paused from eating once he heard her voice. He looked up and smiled. Sadie continued to eat without a care. "Hi, Joy!" he called.

While walking, Joy searched her bag and brought out her lunch. Without looking both ways, she bumped into Desiree. Her loosely closed food container hit Desiree in the face and Joy's lunch was all over her. Sadie paused from eating and she and Felix had shocked looks on their faces. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the scene. They all look petrified.

There was broccoli.

All over Desiree's face.

And her dress.

Desiree opened her eyes and echoed the courtyard with a shriek of terror, disgust and humiliation. Joy felt embarrassed and guilty.

"My dress!" she hissed. Then she glared daggers at Joy. "YOU! You did that on purpose!"

"I-I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean it!" Joy protested and tried to get her food off of Desiree. The green-haired girl slapped her hands away.

"Don't touch me, you freak!" she snapped. "ANGUS!"

Everyone gasped when she called his name. Felix and Sadie wanted to rush in to save Joy. They were too scared. This was it: Joy was going to meet Angus. Who knows how tall, dark and scary he'll be! After hearing a few footsteps, a small figure appeared before her. He was small, as small as Sadie; maybe even smaller. He has yellow, spikey hair with orange and red streaks. His eyes were red to complement his daring personality. He wore a white, long sleeved shirt with a striped burgundy tie. He wore dark pants and black formal shoes. Joy wanted to laugh, but she felt uncomfortable.

"What happened to you?" he asked lowly.

"This… this… creature spilled her poison all over me! I want her out of my sight!" Desiree ordered. Angus growled and glared at a helpless Joy.

"Listen here, newbie, you better stay away from Desiree or I'm going to seriously hit you were it hurts!" he threatened.

"Y-you wouldn't hurt a girl!" Joy protested.

"Oh I would. Anyone who hurts Desiree will get their karma from me!" he warned.

Felix and Sadie swooped in together. "I think we've seen enough," he said and grabbed Joy's arm.

"Let's get out of here before things get a little out of hand," he whispered.

"Leave our friend alone!" Sadie argued.

"Oh, so the coward's standing up for his new girlfriend. How pathetic," Angus mocked. Felix glared slightly and pulled Joy behind him.

"I won't let you hurt her," he said in defense. Joy blushed and looked down while hiding behind Felix. Sadie went to her and pulled her back with her.

"You're right." Angus gave a blank stare before punching Felix on the stomach. It was the wrong time too since Felix just ate. Felix's knees grew weak and he knelt to the ground while hugging himself in pain. Joy placed her hands over her mouth and gasped in horror. Sadie closed her eyes helplessly in fear. The students around them either laughed, snickered, or tried to ignore the incident. Desiree wiped herself off and smirked in amusement.

"The next time any of your gal pals get in our way, the punishment's on you! And it'll be a lot worse than a punch in the gut. Are we clear on that?" he warned.

"Crystal," Felix choked. Angus smirked and nodded before walking away with Desiree.

"Ciao, losers. Ugh, I so need a shower right now," Desiree huffed in annoyance and satisfaction. Joy and Sadie rushed to a pained Felix.

"Felix!" Joy cried.

"Did he punch you too hard?" Sadie asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. Just got to walk it off; or maybe avoid eating for an hour or two," Felix answered weakly. Joy and Sadie helped him up and led him to their table. Sadie took her sandwich and munched on it anxiously. Felix couldn't bear to look at his food.

"I…. I'm sorry. I got you in trouble. They… hurt you because of me!" Joy said worriedly. This has never happened to her before. She wanted to cry. But darn it she's not going to! She's Joy: the cheerful one, the optimistic one, the girl who never cries because she's been overpowered by her happy memories more than anything. It'll take a lot more than that to make her cry.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just pain. Don't worry about it," Felix blankly said.

"I don't understand! You're nice and they're mean. And yet everyone else is standing up to those two kids. We got to do something about this!" Joy quarreled.

"Sorry, Joy, but the world doesn't work like that for us," Felix sighed.

"Felix and I are 'outcasts'. Everybody hates us because we're so much smarter than they are. They make fun of us for being different… for being weird," Sadie explained solemnly.

"I think they're just jealous... not that I would tell them that," Felix commented. "To sum it all up, this is where the bad guys win," he added.

"Our childhood was a lie!" Sadie sobbed.

"Well… I think you're both amazing!" Joy said. _It's not fair. The bad guys - winning? That's not supposed to happen at_ _all_! she thought.

"Sure, and then you'll end up going with them at some point like everyone else," Sadie groaned.

"What?"

"What my sister means is: Desiree and Angus will do everything they can to get you on their side. And then you'll become one of them while Sadie and I will be alone just as we were meant to be," Felix sighed and rested his elbow on the table.

"I'm sorry, but if I see those kinds of people, I never have the slightest thought of even just asking them to be my friend. I don't hang with them… and I certainly never met those kinds of people before," Joy admitted.

"What kind of people were you surrounded with anyway?" Sadie asked curiously.

"You know, people like me. We're always happy all the time, we love and support each other, and no classmate gets left behind! It was a great school," Joy answered.

"Then why did you move here?" Sadie asked.

 _Tough question_ , Joy thought. "Well… my parents wanted me to try to meet new friends and study in a new environment I've never been in before. I never thought that new environment would be me being surrounded by people who are… mean and downhearted," Joy admitted.

"Oh… I'm sorry we feel different to you," Sadie sighed.

"No, no, it's okay! It's nothing to worry about really," Joy stammered.

"You like us right?" Felix asked.

"Of course I do! We're besties now," Joy answered.

"Besties?" Sadie repeated.

"Besties! You know, we're best friends now," Joy explained.

"Oh… besties… I like that," Sadie said with a small smile.

"See? You're getting there!"

Felix smiled. "Promise us you keep it that way?"

Joy smiled back and crossed her heart with her finger. "Cross my heart, Felix."

Sadie leaned on the table and held out her hand with her pinky sticking out. "Pinky promise?"

Joy smiled warmly and intertwined her pinky with Sadie's. "Yeah. Pinky promise."

Then she heard her stomach growling. Felix yelped slightly and backed away. Sadie giggled while Joy blushed with embarrassment.

"What was that noise?" Felix stammered.

"Relax… Desiree 'took' my lunch and now I feel hungry," Joy laughed before hearing her stomach growl again. She held it and blushed again.

Felix glanced at his unfinished sandwich and lent it to her. "Here, you can have mine. I lost my appetite thanks to Angus."

"You sure…?" Joy asked.

"Of course I'm sure! That's what 'besties' are for, right?" he said before winking at her. Joy giggled and nodded. Before she took the sandwich, Felix drew it back for a moment.

"Oh, wait, hold on." He removed the bits he's bitten on and gave it to her. "Here you go. Don't want to catch any diseases or anything," he chuckled nervously.

"Thanks! What's in it?" Joy asked.

"Ham and cheese," Sadie answered. "It's Monday so we put ham and cheese in our sandwiches on a Monday."

"That's cute! My lunch depends on what my parents make me," Joy said. Then she gasped. "I can have you two to come over sometime!" she suggested.

"Um… I don't know… what will our parents say?" Felix asked worriedly.

"Just ask them! It's okay if they don't let you," Joy assured.

"I guess…" Sadie sighed.

Silence filled their lunch table, other than the students chatting in the background with their voices blending in to make it sound gibberish. Joy liked the sandwich. It was simple yet flavorsome!

"Thanks for lending me your food, Felix," Joy thanked.

Felix stared at her, flushed, and smiled. "D-Don't mention it."

"You sure you're going to be okay?" she asked. The girl placed her hand on his shoulder, only to feel him shudder against her.

"Y-Yeah… I'll be fine," he answered while shooting several glances at her.

"Felix… is something wrong?" Sadie asked.

"No, no, it's just-" Felix jumped and got caught off after they heard the bell ring. Thankfully, Joy already finished the sandwich before unexpectedly holding a jumpy Felix in her arms.

"Relax, Felix, it's just the bell!" Joy laughed.

"Oh, right, sorry," he responded sheepishly.

Sadie swallowed her last bite and packed her bag. "Let's go…"

 _Boy, these two seem so miserable,_ Joy sighed inwardly. _Maybe if I teach them how to be happy like me, that'll make their lives a whole lot easier!_ She thought one last time before heading to class with her newly found 'besties'.

* * *

 **OH THE CLICHÉ FEELS! And I feel like a horrible writer after making Angus punch Felix in the gut. That was awful! I'm casually grinning at the Starnerve moments I put in this chapter. The feels are real! Another character was revealed:**

 **Mr. Fritz: Fritz the mind worker**

 **He won't be doing much anyway. I'm still figuring out which part is perfect for Bing Bong… or Rainbow Unicorn… or Jangles the Clown. Oh the possibilities!**

 **Keep up the support everyone! And stay tuned for another chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3: An Emotional Visit

**Here's another chapter, you guys! I don't own Inside Out nor its characters.**

 **Guest: Thanks! And as far as I'm concerned, there will be no character death in this story so don't worry about it!**

 **The Silver Doge Queen: Thanks!**

 **VickyT36: Joy's not one to break promises but we'll see.**

 **Coon: Thanks! And yeah, that's a bad habit I got to fix. And yes as a brickoli fan myself, there will be hints of the pairing in this story, probably in the future chapters.**

 **ErinMilne: Your character suggestions seem interesting, especially Bing Bong's. I've already come up with a good position and backstory for him. Jangles may or may not be a suitable antagonist. And Rainbow Unicorn is Rainbow Unicorn. She could be the principal or whatever for some reason. XD And yes… finding a friend like Joy's pretty tough.**

 **HappyFriends: Thank you!**

 **Guest: Hmm… That could work. :D**

 **Sherice: Haha alright then! Thanks! And of course there will be more starnerve moments!**

 **As a side note, I have been considering on putting minor or cut emotions from the movie as background characters only. They won't have more than one or two lines to say and they will only be mentioned by the main and minor characters. But I'm not sure if I could include that. I've come up with a few names, but if you got any suggestions feel free to let me know.**

 **My break is coming soon and as soon as it arrives, I'll be doing something I should've done a long time ago: Faving and Reviewing. Because let's face it, a lot of Inside Out stories inspired me to create the stories I have now. Same goes for some of you writers who get inspired by me. So in a week, I'll start adding a lot of stories to my favorites and reviewing the chapters/one-shots I loved heaps.**

 **In the meantime, feel free to read and enjoy this new chapter! It's a little redundant on some parts because hey, I too have my own faults. I'm not that verbose.**

* * *

Joy's first day has already ended. She had no words to express her first few moments of stepping into the school. First she met a bully named Desiree, then she befriended the victim, whose name was Sadie, who acts so gloomy for some reason, then she befriended a boy, named Felix, who gets petrified easily, then she loses her perfect lunch on Desiree – who for some reason hates broccoli despite the fact that she thought the two look very similar – and then she met Angus. She spent her last few subjects with Mr. Fritz and they were dismissed from their classes.

"Yo Felix, Sadie, wait up!" Joy shouted. Felix and Sadie stopped and turned to their new friend. They glanced at each other and smiled back at Joy.

"Sure, Joy! You're walking home too?" Felix asked.

"You bet I am. I love walking!" Joy answered.

"I don't," Sadie deadpanned.

"Why not?"

"It makes me tired."

Joy's shoulders drooped and so did her face. "Oh, what about you, Felix?"

"Hey, as long as I'm not walking under a storm or anything, I'm totally cool with walking. I just have to make sure Sadie's walking right in front of me," Felix explained.

"You're really protective of your little sister aren't you?" Joy asked sweetly.

"I may be weak but at least I try," Felix paused. Enough was said. Joy gave him a sympathetic smile.

"You make a great brother for Sadie," Joy complimented.

"R-Really? I- I do?" Felix stuttered. Sadie heard everything but refused to look back with a smile.

"Of course, silly!" Joy giggled and shoved him playfully. Felix shied away nervously. As the trio approached a stoplight, Joy noticed Felix holding Sadie's hand protectively. She saw Felix shaking and Sadie's lips quivering. Then again the streets looked familiar to her, like a tragedy has occurred in those very streets. She could vaguely remember these events.

"Are you two okay?" Joy asked.

"Yeah… we just hate passing through here everyday," Sadie answered.

"Why?"

"It's… a long story."

Joy looked down upsettingly and waited for a green light. The trio crossed the street and remained silent for a few minutes.

"So… Joy, how near do you live from here?" Felix asked bravely.

"Oh I live in that street over there!" Joy answered while pointing in a particular direction.

"Whoa really? Sadie and I live around the corner from there!" Felix replied.

"No way! And I thought I knew everyone in my neighborhood," Joy chuckled.

After a while, they finally reached Felix and Sadie's home. It was fairly big, but not as big as Joy's home. There was a small garden up front. There were also several signs that had to do with safety, such as 'Watch Your Step!' or 'Do Not Touch!' and other similar signs. Joy felt safe when she noticed them. As Felix knocked on the door, they were answered by a man who looked just like Felix. He had short, purple hair – you could tell that his hair's falling

"Hey kids! Did you have a good day?" he asked.

"I guess," Sadie murmured.

"We… made a new friend!" Felix answered and moved to the side so Joy could be seen. "Joy, this is my dad, Freddie."

"Hello, sir!" Joy greeted.

"Oh hello there, Joy! Just call me Freddie. It's nice to meet you! It's nice to know Felix and Sadie have made a new friend too. How did you meet?"

"It was no accident," Joy said straightforwardly. She thought it was an accident at first. But she made a friend – two friends! Friendships are no accident.

"That's a relief to hear. You and Felix seem really close if you know what I mean," Freddie commented playfully.

"Dad!" Felix complained with embarrassment and a dark shade of red burning his cheeks. Joy giggled sheepishly while Sadie tried to stifle her laughter.

"I'm just kidding, kiddo!" Freddie joked.

"We just met this morning dad. Don't get any funny ideas for us please," Felix pleaded softly.

"Alright, alright. Joy do you want to come in?" Freddie asked.

"Uh sure! I promise I won't stay long," Joy said and stepped in. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I love your house! Can I have a look around?"

"You sure can. But some places are off limits say… our rooms," Freddie informed.

"Right, okay then!" Joy agreed with excitement.

"Can I let her in my room?" Sadie questioned.

"If you want to," Freddie turned to Joy. "Felix and Sadie can let you visit their rooms if they allow you to."

"Got it, Freddie!" Joy agreed again.

"Freddie what's going on here?" asked a motherly voice. There Joy saw a woman who had a great resemblance to Sadie. She's chubby and has blue eyes like her daughter. She has short brown hair, unlike Sadie's blue hair, wore glasses, a pink pearly necklace, a purple fluffy sweater with light blue cuffs on the end, and dark leggings with blue sandals. Much like her daughter, Joy could sense a gloomy aura around this woman.

"Hey, Sam, this Sadie and Felix's new friend: Joy," Freddie introduced. Joy kept in her smile and waved politely.

"Hello!" Joy greeted.

"Hello there," Sam greeted back softly. She grew a weak smile. "You befriended my daughter?" she asked with surprise.

"Yeah," Joy answered. "She's a very sweet girl!"

"Oh that's such a relief to hear!" Sam sighed and knelt to Sadie's size. "I'm proud of you for getting a new friend today, Sadie!"

Sadie couldn't be any more shocked. Her mom was happy! It's been a long time since she was happy. The two hugged each other tightly. "I'm proud of that too, mom," Sadie replied. Joy smiled.

"It's really good to meet you, Joy. Now if you excuse me I have something waiting for me in the oven. I'll be right back," Sam said before rushing to the kitchen. Freddie had a look of concern on his face.

"I'll go with you, Sam! You kids have fun and stay safe, okay?" said Freddie before rushing to help his wife in the kitchen.

"We will, dad!" Felix shouted.

"So, my tour?" Joy began.

Felix smiled. "Of course. Follow us!"

The boy took Joy's hand and gently pulled her with him and Sadie followed happily. "Here we have the living room, the bathroom, the door to the garage, our backyard, the basement – don't wanna go in there –, mom and dad's room, dad's 'office' which is totally off limits, the kitchen – hey mom, hey dad! –, the stairs to the attic, another bathroom connected between my room and Sadie's room," said Felix while gesturing every room of the house.

"Dude you make it sound like your house is huge. And it is!" Joy commented.

"It's not that big," Sadie responded. "It's the smallest house in the neighborhood."

"Hey, as long as it's a house and it makes you feel cozy and protected, size doesn't matter!" Joy said enthusiastically.

"I guess... Let's go to Felix's room," Sadie said.

Felix's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "I-I don't know…"

"Come on, Felix, it's just your room. Unless if you're keeping something private then I'll understand," Joy said.

"It's not that I keep private stuff. I just feel uneasy when someone outside my home comes inside. It's a little embarrassing if you think about it," Felix explained.

"I promise I won't think any less of you. You're my friend! That's all that matters," Joy said comfortingly.

"Okay but don't say I didn't warn you." With hesitation, he opened the door and allowed Joy to come in. Sadie followed. Joy had one word to sum it all up: Purple. It's everywhere! The walls, his bed, his working desk, his belongings, they were all purple – except some of his clothes of course. Joy was left speechless. A series of thoughts roamed through her mind. Felix's face fell.

"I know, I know, it's really weird and creepy I get it."

"Are you kidding me? I love your room! It's got one of my favorite colors written all over it," Joy spoke after snapping out of her thoughts.

"You love purple too?" Felix asked anxiously.

"Of course I do! But nothing beats yellow, or blue. I'm any of the two all the way!" Joy answered. Sadie smiled. "In that case, you'll love my room!" she said before taking Joy's wrist and pulling her to her room. The trio passed the bathroom and entered Sadie's room.

It was blue.

It was everywhere.

Joy couldn't be happier at first. However, she couldn't help but notice the navy blue cumulonimbus cloud designs on the roof and raindrop patterns on the wall. It was blue alright, but not the happy, baby blue kind. It was somewhat dark to navy blue. It made the surrounding area gloomy and… sad.

"I love your room, Sadie! You seem to like the rain don't you?" Joy said.

"I do… but Felix usually stays indoors," answered Sadie.

"I usually hide under my bed whenever I hear a thunderstorm," Felix said sheepishly.

"Why? The rain's so much fun! You're totally missing out on all the fun," Joy said.

"Yeah but I don't want to get sick! And I definitely don't want to slip and fall on the wet, slippery ground," Felix complained.

"Oh, okay," Joy sighed. _These two act like downers quite frequently. I wish I could change that_ , she thought. And she had an idea. But it was too late for that. Joy checked her watch and carried her bag on her back. "Oh I have to go now! My parents don't want me to be home late. Thanks a lot for showing me around!" she said.

"Wait! We'll walk you out," Felix shouted as he and Sadie tried to catch up to her. Joy grinned. _They may be downers, but I've never met anyone as sweet as they are. Not even in my previous school._

"That's very sweet of you!" Joy complimented.

"Hey, anything for… you," Felix replied. "We may not be as good as your old friends but we're trying," he added.

"We're not letting you down, are we?" Sadie asked uncomfortably.

"What're you talking about? You're like one of the coolest guys I know! You're obviously the coolest ones I've ever met in my new school. You both made my day!" Joy said before twisting the doorknob. "We're besties after all, and I know we'll all work together to keep it that way. I can't wait to tell mom and dad how my day went! Say goodbye to your parents for me!" she shouted one last time before exiting the house.

Felix and Sadie looked at each other and sighed.

"Sadie?" Felix began.

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared," he answered.

"Scared? Of what?" Sadie asked confusedly.

"Of Joy. She's been so nice to us lately," he said softly.

"Yeah and?"

"My point is… what if this bond doesn't last? What if Joy leaves us the moment we realize this friendship of ours was too good to be true? What if she doesn't accept us for who we really are?" he asked over and over. Sadie got the idea, and she too felt scared.

"If I were to expect one obvious thing: It won't last. We probably might do something to her by accident and it might ruin everything," she said pessimistically. "But… I guess we should make the best of our friendship. I mean we want to right?"

Felix smiled and held his little sister's hand. "Yeah. It's not everyday we get to meet someone like her. I toss and turn restlessly just waiting for someone like her to step into my life. I hope it never ends. But I'm still too scared to call her my friend," he muttered.

"Why?"

"I… I don't know," he said speechlessly. He knew the answer, he just didn't want to admit it, nor could he explain it.

* * *

 **I think I'll leave it there. This might be on hiatus until Friday. I'm not sure yet. All I know is when I get back, I'll be faving and reviewing the stories I love when I visit the IO fandom. That's going to be fun.**

 **Unfortunately this chapter was somewhat poorly written. In other words, it appeared to be written with mediocrity. But forget that, I've got more important issues to deal with in real life. In the meantime some questions come to mind. What is it about Fear and Sadness causing the street that makes them feel uneasy or possibly petrified or upset?**

 **Does Joy appreciate Fear and Sadness for who they are?**

 **Why can't Fear learn to accept Joy as his friend?**

 **We'll never know. And yes I used their real names for once.**

 **Fun fact: I 'recycled' Fear's original name, Freddie, and used it as his dad's name. It's too late to replace his name with Freddie. Oh well.**

 **Revealed characters**

 **Freddie: (Mr. Andersen) Bill's Fear**

 **Sam: (Mrs. Andersen) Jill's Sadness**

 **Until then I'm out for now and feel free to leave a review at any time!**


	4. Chapter 4: An Emotional Family Dinner

**I'm back with another quick update just to get it out of my system. I decided to focus this chapter on the Emotions' parents. Let's face it, you don't see these types of stories on the IO fandom now do you? So far I haven't seen any stories based on Jill and Bill's emotions. And I like their Emotions too! Seeing them talk about their daughter is like them talking about their child-emotions inside Riley's head. It's adorable to think about! Of course not all chapters will be centered around the emotions' parents. Riley's Emotions are still the main characters in this.**

 **Sky-of-stars: Yes there is human Starnerve and there will be human Starnerve in this story.**

 **ErinMilne: I was half asleep while writing the previous chapter. And thanks! I too like the name Felix. And yeah he and Sadie/Sadness love Joy even though they just met her. They're just not sure if they could trust her yet but they love her. And that last question might be answered in this chapter!**

 **HappyFriends: Thanks! You're fabulous too! And there will be more of the pairings in the future.**

 **Guest: You're getting there… because this is like a 'children's' story or a Rated K+ story of course there will be several expected events that may occur.**

 **Coon: Thanks! It's not the first time I've done it. I just couldn't be bothered replying to every single one. xDD That first question will be answered in this chapter. And I see… I think I've seen stories like that before. And for that last question… most of my inspiration comes from a lot of fanfictions out there, not just Inside Out stories. Plus I've always wanted to make an alternate universe story and so I did!**

 **VickyT36: Bits and pieces will be revealed. Thank you!**

 **Guest 2: Yup, they're hiding their true feelings and the fact that they don't trust Joy yet. But they love her for being so friendly to them. And that incident theory** ** _might_** **be true. You'll never know. Mwahahah lol jk. That's for you to find out soon. :)**

 **Guest: Glad you said so! And right on time too! :D**

 **That's it for now. I'm trying to make this multichapter story as short as I could. If I make it longer, with more chapters, then the chances are I will lose interest and it may be discontinued forever. So I'm trying to update this as fast as I can and make the plots as fast** ** _and_** **slow as I could.**

* * *

"It was only my first day and I saw this girl named Sadie being bullied by this girl, Desiree. Sadie looked really nice and therefore we became friends. Anyway, I also met this really shy boy named Felix and he's also being bullied around by this small but tough kid named Angus. I even go t to walk home with Sadie and Felix today and I know where they live now! They live just around the corner from our place," Joy spoke before taking another bite. Then she remembered something. "Oh yeah, and I accidentally spilled my lunch on Desiree. The good news is Felix offered me his lunch! He's such a sweet guy!"

"I sure hear you, Joy, your first day must've been hectic! Are you sure you weren't badly hurt by that Desiree and Angus?" asked Joy's mom.

"Calm down, Jolie. Joy's a strong girl. But if that Angus picks a fight with you then I'll take him down for you! Then we can all have a big laugh about it," said Joy's father.

"Jay, we don't want the school to know how 'ruthless' we are, even though we're not," Jolie said sternly.

"That was an expression, Jo. You get the idea right, sweetheart?" Jay asked.

"I do, dad. I'll try my best to stay away from them," Joy promised.

"So, honey, tell me more about your new friends. What were they like?" Jolie asked with excitement. Joy paused from taking a sip from her water and began.

"Well… Sadie's pretty awesome. She's like the gloomiest girl I know but she's sweeter than any girl I've ever met in a while. Sure she's not as positive as my old friends, Cherry, Amy or Lovanna, but I'm still trying to get to know her better. She feels grateful for me saving her life and she doesn't have any friends besides her brother, Felix," she explained.

"That's horrible," Jolie commented worriedly. "What about the boy?"

"Felix? He's like the sweetest, yet shyest, guy I've ever met! He protected me when I was about to get bullied by Angus, but I felt so sorry for him. He took a punch in the gut because of me," Joy said guiltily.

"It's not your fault, Joy. And it's not Felix's either. It's theirs," Jay said.

"I know but I still feel horrible! He and Sadie are very close too. I just wish they were a little more… like us. You know what I'm saying?" Joy suggested.

"I do, sweetheart. Not many people can shine as bright as we can," Jolie sighed softly.

Joy frowned and took another bite of her food. "Yeah. It's just that everyone's so mean nowadays! It's like they don't care if they're doing the wrong thing. Of course if I did the wrong thing it would be an accident and I would apologize. But they don't do that at all!"

The family finished their meal and Jolie stood up to grab all the dishes. "Well that's how the world is for us, honey," she said. "And yet, we still manage to keep a smile on our faces. It's who we are! We're a strong-willed family and nothing gets us down in the dumps," she continued.

"And friend or foe, you have to learn to love and forgive them for what they do to you," Jay added.

"I know. I'm trying," Joy smiled and offered to help by placing the remaining dishes onto the sink. "I just hope I can remain friends with them. They look at me like they still don't accept me."

"They will, Joy. You're still new to them. Give them the time to get to know you better and don't give in to the 'dark side'. Do you know what I'm saying?" Jay spoke.

"I get you, dad," Joy chuckled. "I'll do my best."

"It seems like you've gotten pretty close to Felix on your first day too. It looks like some-girl's got a crush," Jolie teased.

Joy blushed and giggled. "Stop, mom, we just met! And if I was quick to falling in love, then I blame Lola for that. She's such a matchmaker to everyone it's not funny."

"She may not be here but her matchmaking skills seem to be working on you and Felix," Jay joked.

"Oh dad! I don't want time to fly too fast between us. We're just friends!" Joy argued playfully.

"Alright, alright," Jolie laughed. Jay walked to her side and placed his arm around her waist. "As long as they're lucky to have you with them, and their company makes you happy, they'll be happy too," she finished.

"You're right, mom. I'm going to wait for them first thing in the morning!" Joy said eagerly. In the meantime, joy helped her parents clean up, did her homework, played a few board games with her parents and went to bed with that same smile she had since the day she was born. _Today was a great day. Tomorrow is a new day!_ She thought. She had one last look at the glowing stars on her ceiling that night before fluttering her eyes closed and drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

The sun shone across the streets of the suburbs on an early Tuesday morning. Joy awoke to the rays of the nearest star shining brightly just outside her window. The girl jumped out of bed, did a few stretches, washed her face, fixed her hair, got dressed, and hurried downstairs to meet her parents for breakfast.

"I'm starving with excitement today! What's for breakfast?" Joy asked excitedly.

"Eggs and bacon! Don't want to go to school on an empty stomach now would ya?" Jolie responded with the same active tone in her voice.

"Awesome! Your cooking never fails to impress me, mom!" Joy said.

"That's every parent's job: Never let your kids down!" Jay spoke with a smile.

"Well said, dad." Joy sat down, ate her breakfast with celerity, and kept her place at the table. "That was great!"

"That was fast," Jay said with amusement.

"I got to go now. I don't want to be late!" Joy said as she took her belongings and aimed for the front door. Jay and Jolie looked at each other with bewilderment.

"But Joy, it's a little too early. School doesn't start in an hour," Jolie began.

"Yeah, it's like six thirty. You're not late at all," Jay pointed out before looking back at his newspaper.

"I'm late for being early," Joy joked. Her parents looked at each other and laughed. Joy laughed with them. "I'll just stop by at Felix and Sadie's place. I'll see you two later! Love ya, bye!" she added.

"Have a good day, sweetie! Be safe," Jolie replied.

"Yeah and be good!" Jay added.

"I will!" Joy responded before exiting the house.

Joy walked happily along the sidewalk and watch the clouds clear the way for more sunshine to descend upon her. She hummed to the chirping of the birds and occasionally danced when butterflies fluttered past her. People thought she was crazy, but she's bubbly that way. Her happiness died down when she saw a limousine pass by her. As it stopped next to her, the window slowly descended and revealed a familiar face. It was Desiree.

"Oh, hey, Joy! I didn't realize you were living in this street too," she greeted half-heartedly

"Uh… hey," Joy greeted uncomfortably.

"Hey. Listen, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday and I know what you did was an accident. I was being moody. And I want you to feel welcome in our new school. So what do you say? I want you to join me and we'll ride to school together! Are you in?" Desiree encouraged.

"I… I don't know. I need to pick up Felix and Sadie and-"

"Seriously? Look, those weirdos have no friends for a reason," Desiree huffed.

"What?" Joy asked. _My friends are not weirdos!_

"They're always so negative and they have like this bad luck virus in which they spread around to the people they meet. Angus and I only want what's fair for the school. And I suggest you think so too. Remember when you spilled your disgu- err I mean your lunch all over me, it's obvious that it's their fault since they called you and you got distracted. Do you get what I'm saying when I think they're 'bad luck'? Think about it. But since you refuse to get a lift from me, I wish you good luck with fetching those peons. Ciao!" she said before taking a slack as the window separated their gaze. Moments later, the limousine was gone.

Joy shook her head. "What's fair? What's not fair is those two having things their way," she mumbled to herself. She finally reached the corner of the block and stopped by the smallest house she could find. She passed the caution signs and knocked on the door. She stepped back and saw Sam answer it. Sam looked down slightly and smiled.

"Hello there, Joy," she greeted.

"Hello! May I come in?" Joy asked politely and bowed.

"Of… of course! Felix, Sadie, you have a friend waiting for you!" Sam called.

"A friend?" Joy heard Sadie ask. Then she overheard a faint gasp from Felix.

"Is it Joy?" he asked eagerly.

"You bet it is," Sam answered and left the door, allowing Joy to come in. Joy nodded and stepped in before closing the door behind her.

"Ah! Good morning, Joy," Freddie greeted.

"Hello there, Mr. Freddie!" Joy greeted. From the kitchen she saw Felix and Sadie waving to her. Joy grinned, put her bag down, and rushed to the pair.

"No running!" Freddie called before returning to the living room with Sam.

"Sorry!" Joy answered. She race-walked to Sadie, who stood from her chair, and gave her a tight hug. "It's great to see you, Sadie! How are you?"

"We're okay I guess," Sadie answered. Felix slowly stood from his chair and Joy nearly jumped on him for a hug.

"Felix!" Joy exclaimed with delight and hugged the boy. Felix yelped and tried to keep his balance before hugging her back. Joy felt his heart racing against her chest. His cheeks grew red. He was startled by her.

"Joy, hey! S-Sorry I… I'm not used to anyone jumping on me for a hug yet," Felix greeted sheepishly before pulling away from her.

"That's okay! Hi! I was hoping you'd be ready to go already," Joy said.

"W-what are you talking about? We still have less than an hour before school starts," Felix reminded.

"Which is good! If you think about it, we can go to school and get at least half an hour of free time before the bell rings!" Joy said.

"You… have a point," Sadie murmured.

"Now that you mentioned it, let's finish faster, Sadie!" Felix demanded. Sadie nodded and the two ate their food as quick as they could.

Joy looked at them with concern. "Uh, don't eat _too_ fast otherwise-" before she could finish, Felix swallowed something inedible.

"Ack! I swallowed my spoon! Help!" he choked out. Joy and Sadie panicked.

"Oh no!" Sadie exclaimed before covering her mouth with her turtleneck.

Joy didn't want their parents to witness the scene. She went behind Felix and held him from behind. Then she squeezed his abdomen as gently as she could until the spoon came out of his mouth. Sadie grabbed the spoon before it could hit the glass. Joy turned Felix to face her and held his shoulders firmly. "Breathe slowly, okay?"

Felix hyperventilated at first before his breathing normalized completely.

"Are you feeling better?" Joy asked shakily.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Felix panted. "Thanks, Joy."

"You know, I think it's better if you ate at little slower," Joy squeaked.

"What happened in here?" Freddie asked, his eyes wide. Sam came from behind with a worried look on her face.

"I choked on my spoon by accident but Joy saved me so I'm fine now, dad!" Felix explained.

"Felix, again? You need to learn how to be more careful there, son." Freddie turned to Joy and smiled. "Thanks for saving him. You're a good kid. Why didn't you tell us he was choking?"

"We didn't want you to worry," rasped Sadie.

"Whether it's dangerous or not, you have to let us know. We're only worried because we love you," Sam explained calmly.

"Thanks, mom," Sadie whispered.

"You're a sweet girl, Joy," Sam commented.

"Kind of like a couple we used to know," Freddie chuckled.

"A couple? Who?" Joy asked curiously.

"It's… something we don't talk about in this house. At least, not for a long while," Sam explained.

"Okay. I'm sorry I asked."

"It's fine. Kids, finish your food and prepare your stuff. You don't want to keep a friend waiting now do you?" Sam nagged.

"Yeah, mom!" said Sadie and Felix as they both finished their breakfast at an average pace. Joy waited and sat down on the couch. While waiting, Freddie sat down beside her.

"I want to thank you for saving my son again, Joy," he said.

"It's all good, Mr. Freddie!" Joy responded.

"Call me Fred," he said softly. "Anyway, is it alright if I ask you a question?" he asked while Sam walked over to his side.

"Sure, anything!" Joy answered.

"Do your parents have the names of Jay and Jolie by any chance?" Freddie asked. Joy's eyes widened. Did he just mention her parents? It had to be real!

"Yes," Joy answered.

Freddie and Sam looked at each other in shock. Then they looked back at Joy.

"Is there something wrong? Was there a past between you two and my parents'?" Joy asked.

"Something like that. We were friends with your parents and a couple other couples. But then we all got married and went our separate ways just to settle down and have a family together," Sam explained. She laughed at the past moments they had together. "Heck, we even got married on the same day in the same place."

"Whoa… really?"

"You bet!" Freddie answered.

"So you two got married along with my parents right?" Joy asked excitedly.

Freddie and Sam looked at each other. Then they looked away solemnly. "You could say that," Freddie mumbled.

"What?" Joy asked, her frown disappearing.

"Enough said. Kids, hurry up! Joy's waiting," Freddie called.

"Wait I want to ask you more questions!" Joy pleaded. "Do Sadie and Felix know about this?"

"They do, but we all didn't know that you are Jolie and Jay's child. We were pretty startled ourselves!" Freddie exclaimed softly.

"It's good to let them know, right!"

"Of course, we loved Jolie and Jay! And we finally know where you get your kindness from. Anyway, that's all we can share with you for now. In the meantime, you may ask more questions to your parents," Sam recommended.

"Oh and say hello to Jolie and Jay for us! It's been ages since we've seen each other," Freddie requested.

"You bet I will!" Joy said cheerfully. Meanwhile, Felix and Sadie reappeared with their bags behind their backs.

"We're ready, Joy!" Felix said.

"Are we all set?" Joy asked.

"Yup!" Felix and Sadie answered together.

"Okay, let's go!" Joy turned around and headed for the door. She allowed Felix and Sadie to leave before her and looked back at Freddie and Sam.

"Thanks for the chat!" Joy exclaimed before closing the door on them.

Freddie and Sam looked at each other and sighed. They walked to their room and looked at an old photo of the two of them along with their spouses and friends. Sam couldn't help but cry and Freddie pulled her into a hug.

"I miss them," she said. Freddie sighed.

 _All she wanted was to hear his voice again._

 _And all he wanted was to hear her voice again_.

But they love each other now and their children are all they have left.

"I know."

* * *

 **Now wasn't that emotional? That leaves some questions answered, but more is to be discovered. It's no surprise that the emotions' parents used to hang out together in the past. But what comes to mind now is what was with those two thoughts they just shared at the near end of the chapter The names of Joy's parents were finally revealed! Jay and Jolie aka Bill's Joy and Jill's Joy. Another question:**

 **Why are Fear and Sadness' parents** ** _different_** **?**

 **Whoever gets this right gets a virtual cookie.**

 **BACKGROUND CHARACTERS:**

 **Lovanna - Love**

 **Cherry - Cheerfulness**

 **Amy - Amusement**

 **Putting background characters was only a test run. Please let me know what you think. If you dislike these sorts of inserts, because I dislike inserting OCs into my stories, then please let me know immediately so I won't add these characters in the story nor will I mention them. Thanks!**

 **I still have an Anger/Sadness friendship fic to write soon. Someone gave me a wonderful request and I thought eh what the heck? I'm all up for it!**

 **Feel free to leave a review whenever you want to. If you need me I'll either be offline for three days** **(that's my goal) or I might be constantly updating my profile. Adieu!**


	5. Chapter 5: An Emotional Morning

**Hey everyone! It's so good to be back here once again. Yeah, things fell apart at the end of the school year so I wasn't interested in writing or even going on Fanfiction at all. And now I'm here!**

 **Iloveyoutubers: Thanks! And I see you made a similar story. I'm cool with it but please don't write it exactly like mine. Thanks! It's really awesome that you're inspired by me to make your own stories though. That's good.**

 **ErinMilne: Could be… c;**

 **Metherarto: What're you talking about? OF COURSE IT DOESN'T END THERE YET It's still a long way to go. XD**

 **Guest: Well... I don't watch iCarly but I searched it up and it does seem like a coincidence doesn't it? I'm impressed! And your days of waiting are over.**

 **Guest: Yeah... Lovanna or Lola is her nickname. It's only a test run. And that's good to know.**

 **VickyT36: I did say it would be cliché and some scenes would be expected. It's Rated K+ for a several reasons.**

 **Guest: True, true. I'd be interested depending on how its written. And I'm glad you got hooked on my story. Thanks!**

 **Mystrieuse: Thanks and I'm terribly sorry for the long wait… :(**

 **Guest: Felix is older than Sadie by two years. But because Sadie's smart, as in really smart, she got the opportunity to be in the same level as Felix and Joy.**

 **Coon: All the Emotions' parents are Riley's parents' emotions. And yes they were all very close before marriage and they weren't pretending even after they got married. Something just happened among them. And for answering your questions: yes. Desiree would do anything to keep every student away from Felix and Sadie, and that includes inviting Joy to be a part of her group and convincing her that Felix and Sadie aren't the people for her. Second question's answer is: soon. It already has started for Starnerve though. For Brickoli it still remains unclear whether it already has started or if their relationship is still platonic at this stage. And for that last statement: I couldn't agree more. Like I said, this is a test run and if you're not okay with it, then I will avoid using it at all costs.**

 **Guest: ...You'll never know... c:**

 **And as for that test run, it's no longer running. Majority of you appeared to be against it, including me. From here on, there will be no OC inserts or mentions whatsoever. Before you read it, I apologize if you think this chapter is really bad or really meh. Enjoy!**

* * *

Joy, Felix and Sadie slowly walked to school while watching the sun rise before them. Joy skipped ahead of them and danced to the faint music of the radios within the houses they passed. Felix and Sadie stared at each other uncomfortably.

"Talk to her," Sadie whispered.

"W-What?" Felix stammered.

"Say something," Sadie whispered.

"W-Why? W-what should I say to her?"

"I don't know. Ask a general question! If you really want her to be your friend, then you need to be brave and talk to her," Sadie hissed. Joy didn't hear a word as she was singing and dancing to herself.

"Since when are you so optimistic?" Felix hissed.

"We need this chance, Felix! Otherwise, Joy will never hang out with us again!" she glared before looking down sadly. "And if she does, we'll be all alone and we'll be lonely while everyone else bullies us—"

"Alright, alright, I'll say something to her! Just don't talk like that, okay?" he hissed. All Sadie did was nod. Felix gulped and walked at a quick pace towards Joy while trying to not make a fool of himself.

"So, Joy," he began. Joy turned around with a big grin on her face. "What a beautiful day! The sun's halfway up, there's music chirping in every home, and I get to walk to school early with you guys, can this day get any better?" she exclaimed.

Felix raised his eyebrow at her then looked at Sadie and shook his head confusedly. Sadie pouted and shrugged. Joy stared at him and her smile disappeared.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, no, it's nothing. You seem really happy today," Felix muttered sheepishly.

"Of course I'm happy. I'm always happy!" she chirped. Deep down, Joy was also confused. What were Felix and Sadie's parents trying to say? She couldn't help but feel happy about it too. They were friends with _her_ parents? That's amazing news! She couldn't wait to tell her parents when she gets home from school.

"Mom and dad didn't embarrass you while you waited did they?" he asked.

"Nope, they seem like really nice people! They make great parents for you and your sister," Joy complimented.

"Wow, uh, thank you," Felix replied sheepishly.

"No problem!" Joy gasped. "We're here! Come on, and we're the first ones in!"

"I don't think so, honey," spoke a voice. Felix and Sadie had fearful looks on their faces. The trio saw Desiree and her limousine parked right next to the school. Desiree snapped her fingers and Angus gave her a milkshake. Then she walked over to Joy with a sympathetic look.

"It's about time you showed up, Joy. I got worried so I told Angus to make a drink for you. Have some!" Desiree insisted.

"Well... all that dancing and singing sure gave me a dry throat. But I'm afraid I'll have to pass," Joy smiled and walked past Desiree. "Come on, you guys!" she called out to Felix and Sadie. The couple smiled at each other and followed Joy. Meanwhile, Sadie stuck her tongue out at Desiree, who looked back at her in disgust.

"Ugh! What will it take for that girl to be on my side!?" Desiree snapped.

"Maybe you're not trying hard enough," Angus murmured. Desiree glared and threw the milkshake on his head.

"And maybe YOU'RE not helping me well enough!" she argued.

Angus growled. "Hey, I'm your bodyguard, not your butler!"

"Keep talking and I'll make you wear a maid's outfit!" Desiree threatened.

Angus huffed. "I bet you'd look better wearing that than me."

"You are such a—you can't just—ugh! If you compliment me like that again, you're fired!" Desiree shouted, her face redder than her blush make up, before storming away angrily. Angus shook his head and chuckled to himself. Then he took the glass off his head and drank what was left of it.

"She's so into me," he murmured before nearly choking on a strand of hair.

* * *

"Oh it feels so good to be early!" Joy sighed to herself. "What should we do before everyone else arrives?"

"We can study in advance before classes start," Sadie suggested.

"Or we could stay in the classroom without having to witness any further accidents," Felix added.

 _Really guys? There're lots more to do than that!_ Joy thought. "Or… you two could show me around!" she spoke.

"C-come again?" Felix mumbled

"What?" Sadie asked.

"Well, you two obviously know this school more than I do. Why don't you give me a tour just like you did back at your place? After all I'm still new here. What do you say?" Joy suggested.

"That's… actually not such a bad idea!" Sadie muttered, which her voice later rose with excitement.

"I like the sound of that! Where do you want to start?" Felix asked.

"Now you're talking!" Joy exclaimed. "Why don't we start by looking around the hallway?"

"Great idea. Follow me," Felix said as he led the two girls around the school. "There are several classrooms here. There are the regular classrooms, with ours at the edge of the hall. Then there are the science labs!"

"Those are my favorite rooms!" Sadie sighed.

"No way! Science is fun! You get to make all sorts of cool stuff in the laboratory," Joy commented.

Felix smiled. "They're my least favorite… lots of accidents happen there. There's the Chemistry Lab and the Bio Lab. And over there's another dangerous room."

"What do you do there?" Joy asked.

"You cook in there. Very dangerous I know," Felix answered monotonously.

"It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, Felix," Sadie teased.

"Um, thank you, Sadie, but I'll have you know that I'm pretty good at doing a lot of things," Felix argued.

"And what might that be?" Joy giggled.

The sound of her laughter was enough to make him lose his words. "U-Uh, well, like… remembering people! Say, that guy over there!" he pointed towards a man wearing a janitor's uniform. Joy and Sadie turned their heads to where he pointed.

"Hello!" Joy called.

The man turned to them and yelped. "What do you want?" he asked almost fearfully.

"Hey don't be afraid! We won't hurt you," Joy spoke.

"Do we know you?" Felix asked.

Joy and Sadie looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" Felix asked.

"And we thought you knew everyone! Yeah right!" Joy laughed.

"We all had to know this was coming!" Sadie added.

Felix glared. "Ha, ha, I forgot how to laugh."

"Oh, you don't see me during classes because I only get a morning shift! I'm Bing by the way. Most early birds call me Janitor Bing," introduced the man. The janitor has green eyes along with fluffy hair that's currently balding. He wears a dark jacket over his uniform along with fingerless gloves. To top it all off, he wears a small bowler hat over his head.

"It's nice to meet you! I'm Joy and I'm new here," Joy said.

"That's amazing! Who're your friends?" Bing asked.

"You never met them?"

Bing's smile disappeared. "No, not really. I usually don't stick around." He leaned in and the three teens walked closer. "Between you and me, those two kids Desiree and Angus are the reason why I leave early," he whispered.

"What? Why?" Joy asked in shock.

"You don't need to ask why, you know," Sadie deadpanned.

"Oh, right." As they broke out the group huddle, Joy kept pacing back and forth.

"I just don't get it! Why are Desiree and Angus so… mean?" she complained.

"We don't really know. Maybe they were born rotten," Sadie guessed.

"That doesn't sound healthy," Felix muttered.

"That or they must have been bullied for a long time," Bing said.

"Well whatever it is, we're going to find out why they hate you guys and we'll be able to sort things out!" Joy exclaimed.

"I like the sound of that. What have Desiree and Angus done to you?" Felix asked. Bing sighed and sat on the ground. "Well... let's just say they've been making fun of me. I don't blame them. I mean I guess what they're saying is true," he explained shakily before letting a few tears out. **(His tears are obviously not candy ok? This is an AU XD)**

Joy's smile disappeared and she knelt down to face the janitor. "Hey, hey, don't be sad. I'm sure what they're saying isn't true," Joy said.

"Sometimes their insults are true..." Sadie interrupted.

"What do you mean?"

"For instance... Desiree kept calling me 'Four-Eyes' and Angus keeps calling Felix a 'Royal Baby'... and other names," Sadie said before thinking. Felix started blushing with embarrassment. "Sadie..." he spoke.

"Like 'Big Nose'," she added.

"Sadie," Felix called, his voice getting louder.

"Or 'Stringbean," she continued.

"Sadie...!" his voice rose and his shades deepened.

"Or 'Nitwitted Coward'," she ignored him.

"Sadie!"

"Or 'Limp Noodle Chicken Nugget-"

"SADIE!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop!" Sadie shouted.

"Great, you mentioned all the names! So much for making a good impression," he muttered and slumped to the floor next to Bing. His eyes wandered over to Joy's and noticed that she was giggling. Bing was smiling at him too.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing it's just that... I've never seen you so embarrassed before. Look at you - you're like a tomato," Joy giggled. Felix's eyes widened and his cheeks grew hotter. He looked away, hoping the heat would cool down. This normally doesn't happen. His main reaction to everything is fear. His skin would turn pale - which explains why he has the palest skin of all.

"Yeah... his blush is so visible, you could see it glowing in the dark," Sadie stated.

"SADIE!"

Sadie looked at him cluelessly. "I was just stating a fact."

"Yeah... a fact that NOBODY needed to hear!" Felix shouted.

"Hey, it's okay, Felix. What Sadie said doesn't change the way I think of you. If anything, you're hilarious!" Joy said. Felix raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "It was a compliment," Joy explained.

"Thanks, I guess," Felix chuckled.

"I gotta say: I like you kids. You seem to be very close. And I gotta admit you guys cheered me up," Bing said.

"Oh, what a relief! And I'll tell you what, Janitor Bing, as soon as I get the other kids to like you, you'll want to work in this school for the whole day!" Joy announced.

"Uh... how are you going to do that?" Felix questioned.

"It's impossible," Sadie rasped.

"Nonsense, you guys. Anything is possible! Because right when we feel like giving up, that's where we find our answer - the solutions to our problems! We can do this," Joy encouraged.

"Well if you think you can do it, then I think I can do it too!" Bing said.

"What about you, Sadie?"

"I guess..."

"Felix?"

"I like you." He was too amazed by her 'speech'. Sadie and Bing looked at him with surprise.

Joy blushed. "C-Come again?"

Felix slapped himself. "I mean I like your motivation. Very empowering!"

The girl giggled. "Felix.. why thank you!"

"So... now what do we do?" Bing asked.

"Can we go to class now? We wasted ten to fifteen minutes here. Do you want to come with us, Janitor Bing?" Sadie asked.

"Uh sure! Now that you mentioned it, the rooms do need some cleaning," Bing answered.

"Great! Come on, guys, let's refuel our knowledge tanks before everyone else does," Joy exclaimed with excitement.

"Yay... D-Did I say that right?" Sadie asked.

"Well... you're getting there," Joy answered.

"Okay, let's try not to drain our brain power before classes start. I mean we all came here a little too early," Felix informed.

"Relax, Felix, we all had a heavy breakfast. We should be good by then," assured Joy.

"I'll make sure to clean the blackboard before anyone uses it," Janitor Bing added.

"Will do, Bing!" Joy replied.

Meanwhile, not far from where they stayed, Desiree and Angus were eavesdropping on them. "Ugh... seriously? First Four Eyes, then Limp Noodle and now that fat janitor? What kind of girl is she? She does _not_ deserve to have friends like them! They disgust me," Desiree huffed.

"It ain't fair either," Angus added. "That girl should be with us rather than those Ragdolls. Then again, she thinks we're ugly in terms of personality."

"You know what's even uglier?"

Angus waited for an answer.

"Your face. When I look at it, I think of barf. Eugh!" she gagged.

Angus growled but tried to keep a smile on his face. "You know what I think of when I see your face?"

"What?"

"Broccoli..."

"Ugh! Don't you dare go there!"

His grin grew wider and continued. "Or boogers..."

Desiree gagged and ran away from the smaller boy. "You're evil!"

"Toenail clipping, toe jam, crap of any kind, dog food, dirt-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

* * *

 **YES! I FINISHED IT! X'D You could see all the references here. I gotta learn to jot them down though. Can you spot them? And yes, I couldn't think of a better name for Bing Bong but Bing. That works, right? In the next few chapters, Sadie will be like Sadness once again, Joy may or may not try to change anyone, and Felix will continue being a dork. If you need more Brickoli moments, just say so in the reviews. This is Starnerve centric however but there may be moments between Angus and Desiree too. And what about the Emotions' parents? What's their backstory? More of that coming soon.**

 **I've got a couple or so artworks of this AU in my DeviantArt account. If you want the name, just leave a review and I'll answer it. But I'm warning you, my gallery has spoilers. I should draw their original styles more often, however...**

 **And PS: I'm sorry for not being online for so long. I was busy having fun with other stuff, I've had several breakdowns and things just weren't going my way. But that was all in 2015, which was the worst year of my life. And hopefully this'll take a turn for the better. And I'm still not finished faving and reviewing stories... =3=**

 **Enjoy! Flames are, once again, used for burning marshmallows - that's you, and will be thrown away in memory dump to be forgotten forever.**


	6. Chapter 6: An Emotional School Day

**An update?**

 **Already?**

 **Well isn't that lovely! And I gotta say like wow, that's a lot of feedback you guys gave me back there. And some of you even spoiled it for me. I'm flattered XD There isn't anything too unexpected in this story. This is for the children. Lol jk it's for all ages. SO *claps* LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS**

 **VickyT36: Thanks! I'm trying to include all the characters I could name from Inside Out except for the humans.**

 **ErinMilne: There were a couple more references to that, but you mentioned most of them! Sadie's awesome I know. XD**

 **Mindykalingfan: Thanks! And Angus is both her bodyguard and a student himself.**

 **Methearto: I wish... I made my DeviantArt account before Starnerve came into my life. XD**

 **mehas: Everyone wants more Brickoli in this fic. Don't worry, more is coming. :)**

 **Toothless gamer: Quite possibly one of the best quotes I ever came up with thank you very much. Glad you liked it though. :"D**

 **Creativity Queen: Well who knows? They might already be in a relationship at that point and nobody knows yet. Or their relationship might be platonic and Angus is just teasing her. *cough*ImeanttomakeSadieactsomischievouslikethatlololol*cough***

 **Supreme-Chickenlord: Well... it's not related to this AU but it has been roaming in my head. It's kinda like a question that falls under the statement: When emotions have feelings? Would that mean they have emotions of their own and so forth? That is mysterious.**

 **Sunny: I'll mention my art details in a moment. Thanks for the review and yes, there will obviously be more Brickoli moments coming your way. You're not alone. And their parents' backstories won't come in after a couple of chapters... maybe even after this one.**

 **Bunnylover666: My, oh my, you're getting there. And it's not necessarily about what they did to each other... it's about something else.**

 **Guest: I was on hiatus. XD**

 **mlplovergirl500: Poor Felix I know...**

 **Guest: Thanks! And I kinda came up with a different role for Rainbow Unicorn. But thanks for your suggestion, mystery girl! :D**

 **Guest: CONGRATS - YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO THE ANSWER I MIGHT JUST GIVE YOU A COOKIE.**

 **Well that's it so far... and MOST of you - most of you - were dying to know what my DeviantArt is. It's Jet-Narrowwasher. Unfortunately, unless you're a member, you can't see my artworks. BUT! Not to worry. I made a Tumblr. If you read my recent StarNerve fanfic, Sweet Dreams, then you'll see that my Tumblr account is called star-nerve. Someone already took the name StarNerve. It's pretty dead and I doubt I'll use it often, but it's for the art and if you recognize my art, you'll be surprised. My StarNerve and Brickoli art is pretty mainstream on the internet. Once again, my Tumblr is star-nerve and if you have any questions, just all caps your message into the review section. I'm kidding... don't all caps it.**

 **Oh and if you want to know what their ages are, here you go!**

 **Joy: 16**

 **Felix: 16**

 **Sadie: 14**

 **Angus: 17**

 **Desiree: 16**

 **That's all I'll say.**

 **Enjoy this chapter everyone!**

* * *

Joy rested her head on the desk while playing with her pencil. Everyone has arrived, Janitor Bing left now that his shift was over, and everyone had to do seat works while Mr. Fritz was away. Ms. Paula **(She's not an OC. She's one of the forgetters in Riley's head)** took over the class for him. Joy finished her work fast, knowing it was way too easy. Sadie had finished hers too. Meanwhile, Felix is still somewhat struggling.

"You're finished too, Joy?" Sadie asked.

Joy stopped playing with her pencil and smiled. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Maths is pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

"I love maths too. It helps me relieve stress," Sadie replied.

"Good for you, Sadie."

"Easy for you two to say!" Felix interjected frustratingly. "This is like the hardest subject I've ever done! If this was History, o-or Literature, then I'd already be done by now," he complained.

"It's just a word problem, Felix. They're easy," Sadie explained.

"IF THIS WAS A WORD PROBLEM FOR THIRD GRADERS THEN YES THIS WOULD BE EASY!" Felix snapped.

"Do you need some help? This is just a seat work after all," Joy offered.

"Sure, I guess. Sadie tried to help me once. I felt like fainting afterwards," Felix warned.

"It's not a problem!" Joy opened her notebook and looked at his.

"Hey! No cheating!" Felix hissed.

"I'm not! I'm trying to help you," Joy protested. "Okay, so you're kind of doing it wrong. You see this number right there?"

"Yeah...?"

"And you see that variable over there?"

"I guess..."

"Oh boy..." Sadie mumbled to herself.

"Okay so this goes here, and that goes over there. And if you look at it this way, you need to multiply those two together, get the derivative of that, then you compute them together, then you do this, and then that, and you get the answer!" Joy explained.

"That was great! I guess..." Sadie complimented.

"So did you get all that, Felix?" Joy asked but she got no response. "Felix...?"

Joy and Sadie realized that Felix froze in his seat. His mouth was agape and he was still looking at his paper. The only thing that moved was his twitching eye.

"I think you paralyzed him," Sadie spoke worriedly. She was confused as to how no one else in the room seemed to care. Then again, nobody cared about her nor Felix.

"Felix...?" Joy whispered worriedly. Then she held her finger out and slowly brought it to his face.

"Are you okay...?" she asked again, this time poking his cheek.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Felix screamed with his hands gripping his hair.

"Oh my gosh, Felix I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to confuse you," Joy apologized.

"Oh, don't worry, Joy. I'm fine, I'M FINE! I'M FREAKING FINE! Do maths, they said! It'll be easy, they said! Maths is fun, they said! I give up. I'm going to fail!" Felix snapped.

"Ahem. Is there a problem, Felix?" Ms Paula asked.

"No, no, I'm fine. I'm really just fine," Felix sighed and slouched on his seat.

"Oh, so now she notices," Sadie groaned frustratingly.

Felix closed his notebook hopelessly and covered his face. "Ugh, the stress is getting to me, Joy. I can't end the year like this!"

"Chill, Felix, it's not the end yet! And you'll get these answers right in no time," Joy said. Then she gasped. "Oh I have an idea!"

"What?" Sadie asked.

"We can study together after school! We can go to your place and we'll do homework there together," Joy suggested.

"S-Study...? With you?" Felix asked.

"Yeah! It'll be fun!"

"You hear that? It sounds like a study date, huh Felix," Sadie teased while nudging on her brother's arm.

"Sadie! We are not going through this again!" Felix growled and blushed madly.

Joy giggled. "If you want to think of it as a date then go ahead. I won't mind," she said.

"I'll think of it as a date when we start dating." Felix realized what he just said and felt heat rise to his face. Joy could feel hers too. "Which is never going to happen... until it... happens - which probably won't," he stammered in defense.

Joy's blush disappeared and her face fell. "Yeah... I guess. So, how's your maths going?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"No luck... and there probably never will be," Felix answered hopelessly.

"Relax, don't give up hope! Sadie and I will help you," Joy assured him.

"I don't know... with two confusing birds in one stone, I don't think my brain can take it. I might get brain damage from all the numbers," Felix spoke with doubt.

"I promise you won't," Joy said.

Minutes later, classes were dismissed, it was time for lunch, and Felix hasn't crammed a single piece of info - albeit he tried his hardest. The houndstooth boy tossed his pencil and slumped on his chair.

"Get a life, Algebra! I'll never find your x's and don't you dare ask why!" he shouted. The girls, who watched him, looked at him like he was crazy. Joy and Sadie giggled and tried to hold it back. Felix looked at them and glared.

"Ah, take a chill pill, Felix, you'll get there! All you need is a little practice. And practice makes perfect!" Joy encouraged. Sadie nodded in agreement.

"Right, I'll start practicing once my brain starts working. What's for lunch, you guys? I'm starving," Felix asked.

"I have an apple," Sadie answered.

"Yes I was there, Sadie," Felix deadpanned. "What about you, Joy?"

Joy chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah... about that... I was a little too excited to go to school with you guys so I forgot to pack lunch for myself. That or I forgot to take my lunch from mom. It's silly, I know," she explained.

Felix smiled and placed his hand on her arm. "Hey, don't fret. People make mistakes. It's all part of growing up. Come on, I'll buy you something," he spoke softly.

"I guess we both made some silly mistakes today, huh?" Joy said sheepishly. "Hold on,though, would you really buy my lunch for me?" she asked.

Felix shrugged. "Well... you have been a pretty awesome friend lately. It's the least I can do in return. My treat to you," he confessed. Sadie smiled at his words knowingly.

"Gee... Felix I - I don't know what to say," Joy said shyly.

"You don't have to say anything. Just let money do the talking," Felix said and winked at her. The trio gathered their belongings and headed to the canteen.

Meanwhile Desiree and Angus were heading out of their classrooms just as their classes ended.

"Ugh, it's about time Mr. Bob ended that pointless lecture. I mean, what's so important about American History? It's all in the past!" Desiree complained.

"Tell me about it. Who would want to learn about the past of George Washington? I'm all about cramming info on the Battle of Gettysburg! Or the bombing of Pearl Harbor! Not that lame crap," Angus added.

"Hold it! It's those three again," Desiree said.

"Yeah, so?"

"Angus, look, I am not going to let even just one student get corrupted by the minds that are Felix and Sadie! Whatever happened to your 'That isn't fair' quote?" Desiree argued.

"If she becomes one of them, let her. At least we have more people to make fun of," Angus answered monotonously.

"That's not what the future of this school wants, Angus!" Desiree argued.

"Well you're the one who started hating them in the first place. I'm just going with it," Angus argued back. "And obviously if I try to say something myself you'd disagree with me right away!"

"I only disagree because your plans are stupid! We do things my way and my way only!"

"Now that's unfair!"

"Oh, you're using it against me now. Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome!"

The couple overheard Felix offering to buy Joy some food and knew Joy didn't bring any. They even saw how the couple treated each other, as if they really were together.

"You know what Angus?" Desiree began.

"...What?" Angus asked. He looked at her with anticipation.

"Let's break them up," Desiree answered.

"WHAT!?" Angus snapped. That was not the answer he wanted.

"It's perfect. The more we break them up, the more Joy will have to be on our side!" Desiree explained.

Angus rolled his eyes. "Greatidea, Desiree," he commented sarcastically.

"I know that's why I thought of it! Come on."

"You know, maybe if we treated each other the way they did, then we wouldn't be arguing so much. And it's not fair to argue a lot now, is it?" Angus growled.

"Oh, you want to be on their side now? That's just great. I thought you were my bodyguard, Angus!"

"I'm more than just your bodyguard, Desiree!" Angus argued.

Desiree blushed and glared. "S-Shut up and do as I say!"

Angus rolled his eyes. "As you wish, you're 'highness'."

"Oh, and speaking of which, I order you to get me a drink," Desiree demanded. Angus groaned and stomped away from her to get a bottle of water.

While Sadie was waiting on their lunch table, Felix and Joy were busy wandering around the cafeteria looking for something to buy.

"I like it here. It looks like it has everything!" Joy complimented.

"Yeah. Sadie and I usually bring our own food, therefore we don't go here often. Have you found what you like, Joy?"

"Not yet. There's so much to choose from! What did you bring for lunch anyway?"

"I brought grapes with me."

Joy sighed. "Oh, dude, we could've shared that instead!"

"...You're right. I'm an idiot." The boy groaned and face palmed himself.

"No, you're not. I don't mind getting something here. Are you sure you don't mind paying?"

Felix shook his head. "Not at all."

"Oh, look, pizza! I'll have some of that. And it's pretty cheap too. I'm impressed!" Joy said.

"Alright then! Take what you want and we'll head to the counter."

As the pair took one slice, they continued to wander around while walking to the register. Joy stopped at a particular product and chuckled. "Hey, Felix, you recognize one of these before?"

Felix walked in and took a look at what she held. "Triple Dent Gum? Ah, yeah, I recognize those. The commercials annoy everyone."

Joy laughed. "I'll admit, that commercial was the only thing that slightly annoyed me. It wouldn't stop playing on TV!"

"True. Sadie and I don't watch TV often either. We've spent most of our time doing homework and studying," Felix explained.

Joy returned the gum and smiled. "You're both so responsible. I like that."

Felix shrugged. "Hey, it's not like we got anything better to do until... you know... until we met you."

"Aw, Felix, you're so-"

"Get down!" Felix hissed and pushed himself, and Joy's head, down behind the table.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Joy whispered.

"It's Angus," Felix whispered back. They both raised their heads a bit to peek on Angus. "He's... he's... getting a drink," Felix sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Phew," Joy sighed as well.

"False alarm," Felix said.

"Why are you nerds spying on him?" asked a familiar voice. Joy and Felix turned around and saw Desiree looking down on them.

"AAH! It's Desiree! We've been spotted!" Felix exclaimed.

"S-sorry, Desiree. We just got a bit scared back there," Joy said.

"Aww, you guys - scared of my bodyguard?" Desiree joked.

"Don't you mean, your 'boyfriend'?" Felix joked back.

Desiree blushed. "Shut up, nerd!"

"I heard that, you bendy straw," growled another voice.

"Eep! I take it back, Angus!" Felix screamed and hid behind Joy.

"You better hide, you coward," warned Angus.

"Hey, come on you two, leave us alone. We're not looking for any trouble," Joy spoke calmly.

"Ugh, fine. I was only here to see if Angus got me my water," Desiree half lied. "I'll see you two, like, never hopefully." And with that, she and Angus paid for her drink and walked away from the cafeteria.

Felix grabbed Joy's arm and pulled her. "Come on. Let's pay and go back before those two bully Sadie."

"Right, right, I'm with you."

Felix grabbed his wallet, paid for Joy's food, and ran back to their table. They saw Sadie, who just finished eating her lunch, working on her homework.

"Oh, thank heavens you're safe!" Felix exclaimed and hugged Sadie tightly.

"Safe? I'm fine. What took you guys so long?" Sadie asked.

"Same old story: Angus and Desiree were bullying us," Felix answered.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Joy asked worriedly.

"No, I'm fine. I bit my tongue by accident, but I'm fine."

"That's not fine, Sadie!" Felix said worriedly.

"It is. Just sit down and eat already while I finish my homework," Sadie said before returning her gaze towards her book.

Joy smiled and took a bite from her pizza.

"How is it, Joy?" Felix asked while eating a grape.

"Pretty good, I'll say! How's yours?" Joy asked in return.

"Pretty sweet! Dad knows I like them that way," Felix answered.

"Oh! Speaking of which, I'll call my parents and tell them I'm coming over to your place to study. Is that okay with your parents if I stay? Joy asked.

"O-oh uh, I'll- I'll see," Felix grabbed his phone, so did Joy, and they both texted their parents. Sadie looked up slightly from her book. _Wow, they even text together,_ she thought.

"I got a reply and they said yes!" Joy exclaimed.

"Dad replies in a flash too. He says it's okay for you to come over," Felix announced.

"That's great! Are you okay with my company though?" Joy asked.

"Y-yeah, sure, I mean I don't mind you visiting our house or anything. I'm just nervous, that's all," Felix explained.

"He's always nervous," Sadie interjected monotonously.

"Exactly."

"Don't worry, like I said, it'll be fun!" Joy promised.

"Well... if you say so," Felix said and ate another grape.

The bell rang not long after, and the two returned to class to do some literature. And thankfully, Felix was lucky enough to finish his work before everyone else.

* * *

 **To be continued.**

 **That was fun to write I'll admit. So, what was your favorite part? Have you spotted any references? (I even made one from one of my old stories) Was this chapter somehow related to your school life? I bet it was. XD**

 **I've had the next chapter planned out. And as a spoiler, the history behind the Emotions' parents won't be revealed after the second next chapter. You'll have to keep waiting. XD So very sorry, folks. Other than that, did you like this chapter? If so, leave a review. I'll be more than happy to read them - unless if they're flames. Constructive criticism I can take in. I'm only doing this for fun, and for you guys. And like I said, I'm not willing to insert too many chapters because if I did I'd lose interest. So I'm rushing this a bit. I don't want to rush it too much though. **

**Another spoiler, which can be seen in one of my artworks, and the cover picture itself, prom will be announced. In this school, students have four years of high school. And they graduate once their 16 or 17, or maybe even 18. You get the picture. And since it's their last year, there will obviously be a prom or formal party coming soon. You'll just have to wait... again.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, feel free to leave a review, and I'll see you guys around next time for another update.**


	7. Chapter 7: An Emotional Sleepover

**Warning: This chapter is very long - unless if you're a fast reader.**

 **mlplovergirl500: The Starnerve is 100% real with this story. And yes, Sadie happens to enjoy teasing Felix a lot.**

 **VickyT36: Ah, you'll never know.**

 **ErinMilne: VERY interesting response from your emotions XD Your Anger and Disgust need to take a chill pill... and she might complain knowing this chapter is way longer.. Oops.**

 **mehas: Thanks! Prom won't come till the near end of the story.**

 **Extreme Light 9: Thanks!**

 **Korrasami 88: I'm not sure what that has to do with anything but okay then. xD**

 **Metherarto: I first saw it on a post on social media, then I slightly changed the situation up a bit.**

 **Shychick: I'm not exactly taking it too slow but thanks for saying that! If you think about it, Joy's only been their friend for two days. So I guess it feels like a long time considering how I'm writing this story.**

 **Mystrieuse: Regarding your question, there will be tons of moments in this chapter.**

 **Creativity Queen: Lol, Felix is such a dork isn't he?**

 **Brickoli: I'm still unsure of how I'm going to let Desiree do that. And yes, they are dating at the moment. The backstory of how it happened will be revealed soon. Thank you!**

 **Sunny: Thanks! And that special chapter will be up next after this one. (Why thank you!)**

 **Bunnylover666: Hmm... I don't think so... c:**

 **What to expect:** **This, I believe, is one of the most important scenes of the story. And it's pretty long for a reason. I don't know if this'll be entertaining enough because it's long, but don't say I didn't warn you. And don't judge me for the cliche moments. This is a Rated K+ fic.**

 **So many - SO MANY - of you guys, are dying to know the Emotions' Parents backstories. Well guess what: a huge piece of the puzzle is hidden in this chapter. And a big, and obvious, secret is about to come out. Expect references, extreme Nervous Tears bromance fluff and of course: MORE STARNERVE.**

 **And other stuff that'll really make you say 'like what?'**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It was the end of another almost perfect day. Joy, Felix and Sadie packed their belongings and were the last ones to leave. Ironic that they were the first ones to enter the building.

"I'm so sorry I kept you guys waiting," Joy apologized.

"It's okay. History can be easy once you get the hang of it," Sadie said.

"You think _everything_ is easy, Sadie," Felix informed. He noticed Joy's face and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it'll be okay. At least we tried to help you."

"True... I even had to ask the teacher several times and I still couldn't get it! That's how lost I am," Joy chuckled sheepishly.

"Hey, how do you think I felt when you tried to help me at maths?" Felix joked.

"Touche," Joy laughed.

"It's the intersection. Hold me, Felix," Sadie whined. Felix immediately rushed to his younger sister and pulled her in for a hug.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but what is it about crossing this part of the street that makes you two so... uneasy?" Joy asked worriedly.

"We don't want to talk about it," Sadie mumbled.

"Let's just say... a series of unfortunate events occur here everyday. We'd ask mom and dad to drive us to school, but they're too busy working themselves," Felix partially explained.

"Come on, what're you afraid of? Crossing the street is perfectly safe. Unless if you saw someone get run over. Did you witness something like that?" Joy asked.

"Well... sort of," Sadie said shyly.

"I'm sorry, you two."

"What about you, Joy? Are you afraid of something?" Felix asked.

"Um... that's not something I would share. I mean I wouldn't say I'm not afraid of anything-"

"Nonsense. Everyone's afraid of something. We won't judge your fears. If anything, I'm afraid of almost everything," Felix spoke.

"Yeah... 'almost' everything," Sadie commented sarcastically.

"Quiet!" Felix hissed.

Joy giggled. "Right, right. Now that you mentioned it, I vaguely remember an accident once occurred in this area. I can hardly remember since I was still a kid."

Sadie and Felix stared at her, wide eyed. "Could you excuse us for a moment?" Felix asked and pushed Sadie away with him.

"Do you think she knows?" he whispered

"She said she vaguely knows," Sadie whispered back.

"Yeah, but do you think we should tell her? I mean she is our friend."

"Felix, I don't want to talk about it. It'll make me sad!" Sadie whined.

"Then what are we supposed to tell her?" Felix asked, his voice getting louder.

"We'll just tell her at the right time, okay?"

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Shh!"

"Uh, guys?" Joy interjected.

"We're done! Let's go cross," Felix said once the traffic light turned green. As soon as they reached the other end of the road, Joy caught sight of a familiar car that's about to pass by them. The girl grinned once the car stopped and the windows were opened. Felix and Sadie froze in fear.

"Mom, dad, hey!" Joy greeted.

"Hi, honey! We just came from the grocery store today. Do you need a lift to Felix and Sadie's house?" Jolie asked.

"I'm good, mom. They're walking me there." Joy looked away from her parents. "Get over here and say hi!"

The two sibling hesitated, but listened, and walked towards the car. Jay and Jolie's eyes widened at their appearances. _They look familiar_ , they thought.

"H-hello, sir... ma'm," Felix greeted.

"Greetings, kiddo! You must be Felix, am I right?" Jay asked.

"Y-Yes sir. I'm Felix and this is my sister, Sadie," Felix introduced.

"Aw, well isn't she just adorable!" Jolie complimented. Sadie blushed and hid half of her face within her turtleneck collar.

"Do you kids need a lift? The weather forecast said it was going to rain sometime tonight. We could drop you off at your friends' place," Jay informed.

"Sounds great, dad!" Joy turned to her friends. "Come on, you two, hop in!"

"I-I don't know... our parents won't let us ride with just any person," Felix said with doubt.

"And what kind of person am I to you?" Joy asked with a grin.

Felix blushed. "U-Uh, well-"

"She's got a point, Felix. We trust you," Sadie said and jumped into the car. Joy went in next.

"Come on, kid, we don't have all night," Jay said to Felix.

"Okay," Felix sighed, went in the car, and closed the door. He even locked it for safety reasons.

"Buckle up, kids, and tell us where to go," Jay said.

"Sure thing, sir," Felix answered politely.

"Oh, don't be so polite. Call me Jay. I like that name better than sir," laughed Joy's father.

"R-Right, o-of course."

"So, how was school, darling?" Jolie asked.

"Oh, it was great! We got to meet a new friend. His name is Bing and he's a janitor! Today was great, well, other than Desiree and Angus messing with us again," Joy answered.

"Again? What is their problem with you?" Jolie asked.

"A-actually, it's our fault they hate us. We didn't really do anything to them, but they hate us for no reason," Sadie explained.

"If they hate you for no reason, then that's not your fault dear," Jolie informed.

"There has to be a reason though," Jay added.

"That's the thing. We don't know why they hate us so much," Felix said.

"Oh... well you'll figure it out soon enough."

"By the way, Joy, someone got a little to excited for school and left her lunch on the kitchen table," Jolie teased.

"Yeah... I got that taken care of thankfully," Joy said.

"Oh yeah?" Jolie replied.

"Felix bought me my lunch! Isn't that great?" Joy exclaimed.

"Aw, what a sweetheart!" Jolie complimented. Felix blushed and slumped even further down his seat. Sadie and Joy stared at his face and giggled. Jay and Jolie saw his reaction from the mirror in front of them.

"It was nothing... Don't mention it. EVER," Felix said shakily.

"Will do, kid, will do," Jay laughed.

"Just take a right over there, sir - I mean Jay," Sadie spoke.

"Now that's the name I want to hear!" Jay turned to the street Sadie pointed and stopped at a house familiar to him and Jolie. _Could it be...?_

"Oh, we're here! See, Felix? You can trust my parents," Joy said.

"Heh, I guess I can. Thanks, Jay and..."

"Jolie," Joy's mom introduced.

"Yeah, Jolie. Thanks for driving us here," Felix said. He, Sadie and Joy exited the car. Sadie and Felix walked to their door while Joy stayed for a bit to say goodbye to her parents.

"I'll see you two later! Oh and Felix and Sadie's parents said hi by the way," Joy said. Jay and Jolie looked at each other.

"You know, Joy? I want to meet their parents. I mean we are at their house so we might as well say hi," Jolie said.

"I agree," said Jay.

"Uh, sure, go ahead!" Joy said as she allowed both her parents to exit the car. As soon as Felix and Sadie called their parents, their dad opened the door. Their mom was right behind him.

"Hey, kids! I'm glad you're home safely," Freddy said and greeted them both with a hug. Then he raised his head and couldn't believe who he just saw. Jay stepped forward and couldn't believe his own eyes either.

"Jay?" Freddy gasped.

"So, it is you," Jay whispered. Felix's eyes widened and he covered his mouth. So did Sadie. Joy was confused. While both parents were shocked.

"Freddy, what's going on out here?" Sam asked and saw a familiar face, one whom she worked with for so long. "Jo?" she whispered.

Jolie gasped. "Oh my goodness... Sam?" Jolie immediately ran towards her friend and hugged her. Sam hugged her back tightly and cried a few tears. Sadie couldn't help but cry too. Felix offered her his handkerchief and she blew on it - which grossed him out a bit.

"Oh, I thought I'd never see you two again!" Freddy exclaimed.

Jay laughed and gave Freddy a brief man-hug. "It's been ages, Fred!"

"I know!" Freddy turned to Jolie and smiled. "Hey, Jo! You haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you, Freddy!" Jolie replied.

"Hey, Sam! Still 'teary-eyed' I see," Jay joked.

"Stop talking and give me a hug," Sam sobbed.

"They... they know each other?" Felix asked slowly. He and Joy looked at each other and smiled at the same time.

"Why are we all standing out here? Come in, all of you!" Freddy said, allowing the kids to enter first, followed by his wife and Joy's parents.

"You two can go to your rooms for a while. We have so much to talk about over here!" Freddy said excitedly.

"We'll try not to get in the way," Felix promised and walked straight to their small hallway. Joy and Sadie followed. While their parents were talking, the trio stayed in Sadie's room to chill.

"I still can't believe our parents know each other," Sadie began.

"I know! I couldn't believe it myself!" Joy exclaimed.

"So, why haven't they told us about it yet?" Felix said.

"Maybe it never crossed their minds until now," Joy guessed.

"Or maybe they knew it all along but they weren't prepared to tell us. Not that I'd know anything about that. Hehe," chuckled Felix. Sadie looked at him and glared.

"So, let's get back to business. We're studying together, right?" Joy said.

"If by 'we'," quoted Sadie. "You mean you and Felix right?" She looked at Felix deviously. The boy snared at her and blushed.

Joy shook her head. "It doesn't have to be just us. You can join too."

Sadie shook her head as well. "I've got more important things to do alone. I want to sleep. Now please leave my room." She stood up, followed by Joy and Felix, and pushed them out the door.

"Good night." She shut the door and the couple looked at it with bewilderment.

"Felix? Can you come here for a sec?" called Freddie.

"Sure, dad!" Felix exclaimed. He and Joy went to the living room and noticed that his parents were changed and about to leave. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"We're going over to Jay and Jolie's place. There's... something we need to talk about. Is it alright if Joy stays with you for the night until we get back?" Freddy asked.

Felix glanced at Joy, then back to his father. "Y-yeah, sure. Whatever you say, dad."

Joy noticed her parents waving to her and she rushed over to them to say goodbye until later. Meanwhile, Freddy leaned in and placed his hands on Felix's shoulders. "Now, son, I'm leaving the girls in your hands tonight. I want you to watch over them, to protect them. It's your duty as a brother, a friend, and a man. I'm sure you can handle it. Right?" he said softly.

Felix sighed and nodded. "Yeah, dad. I'll try."

"That's my brave, little nervling. We'll be back. I promise," said Freddie. The two shared another hug. Sam came in with a smile and hugged him too.

"Hug your sister for me, Felix," she requested calmly.

"Sure, mom," Felix said with a smile.

"We'll be back before midnight depending on how long we take. Lock the doors. You kids take care of yourselves okay? Keep an eye on each other. There're leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry, and don't break anything," Freddy said sternly.

"Bye now! We'll see you later," Sam said. Joy had just finished hugging her parents and walked back to Felix.

"Bye! Take care," Felix said.

"Have fun with... whatever you're doing!" Joy exclaimed.

"Will do!" she heard her mom say. And soon after they heard the car leave, it suddenly became quiet.

Felix scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So... homework?"

"Homework! Yay!" Joy chirped.

"Okay, great. Oh, but first." Felix ran across the hallway, leaving Joy confused. She ran after him until they reached Sadie's room. Felix opened the door, without knocking first, and surprised Sadie with a hug. Thankfully, she wasn't asleep yet.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sadie asked with surprise.

"I'm hugging you," Felix answered.

"Why?"

"Mom said so. She and dad are going to Joy's house, and I'm in charge. So if you need anything, just call me. Okay? Okay, goodnight," he said quickly before dragging himself and Joy out of her room. Sadie continued to stare with confusion. Then she shrugged and tucked herself back to sleep.

"Okay!" Felix said and clapped his hands together. "We got that out of the way. Now let's head to my room."

"O-Oh, uh, sure, Felix! Whatever you say I mean, you're 'in charge' right?" Joy chuckled.

"You bet I am." Felix smiled with pride and opened the door for Joy. "M' lady."

Joy held her dress and pretended to bow for him. "Oh, why thank you, gentle sir," she giggled before laughing with him and entering the room.

Felix prepared his desk for himself and Joy to share. They put down their things and grabbed their books and writing implements.

"So, what should we work on tonight?" Joy asked.

"How about... maths? I'm so lost there,"Felix groaned.

"Maths it is then! Where are you lost?"

"U-um... w-well I... I'm lost," Felix paused. _Focus, Felix! You're just studying with her and nothing else. Get yourself together!_ he thought. He pointed at a random word problem. "T-There."

"This one? Come on, it's easy! I promise. Where are you lost here?"she asked patiently.

 _Where am I lost? I'll tell you where I'm lost. I'm lost in your eyes right now. Can you please close them so I can focus?_ Felix thought to himself. "Um... Everywhere?" he chuckled.

"Wow, you're that lost, huh?" Joy said. "Okay, so here's what you do."

 ***Ten minutes later... because I can't be bothered inserting another unnecessary description XD***

"And that's how you get the answer. Did you understand what I said, Felix?" said Joy. She got no response. "Felix?" she asked again.

Then she heard snoring.

Joy gasped and noticed Felix sleeping on the desk, mumbling words of hatred for mathematics. Joy giggled at how cute and funny that was. Then she noticed his hair - that one strand of hair that literally stands out above the rest. It was all swirly looking and she wanted to play with it. Out of curiosity, she moved her hand forward and lightly stroked it. Then Felix immediately jolted up and swatted her hand away.

"WHO'S THERE!?" Felix shouted.

"Relax, it's just me!" Joy said immediately.

"Oh..." Felix sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. "Is it over? Did I get anything right?"

"No... not really. You were out cold for ten minutes," Joy answered.

Felix groaned and rubbed his eyes. Then he blushed and looked at her. "Did you just stroke my hair?'

Joy grinned and felt her cheeks turn red. "Yes... I was... curious."

"Well, don't do it again. Nobody touches my hair. Got that?"

"I wonder why... maybe it's because you're sensitive?" Joy teased.

Felix blushed madly and stood from his chair. "I'll get... some coffee. Do you want some?"

"Nah, I'm good. I can stay up all night."The boy smiled at her response and left her alone in his room.

"What's wrong with me? I know I like Joy but why do I have to be so awkward around her? Ugh! She must think I'm the biggest idiot on the face of the earth. I'm of the highest caliber of cowardice and idiocy. She'll might as well call me Sir Felix the Cowardly King of Idiots," he scolded himself and turned the coffee maker on. He checked to make sure all the doors were locked. Then he squeaked at the sound of thunder. It was just a thunderstorm. Out of all his fears, that was the one he _sort of_ conquered. Once his coffee finished, he took his mug and headed back to his room.

"I'm sorry, Joy, I hope I didn't take too lo- Joy?" Felix looked around and couldn't find Joy. Then he heard the sound of rain- heavy rain. Then he heard whimpering. It sounded like Joy. Unbelievable.

"Oh... Joy where are you?" He was getting worried. Then all his worry died down once he saw Joy sitting on the floor behind the side of his bed. Her hands were covering her ears and her eyes stayed shut.

"Joy? What're you doing there?" he asked softly. Then he reached out to touch her shoulder. What a mistake. He immediately retracted his hand once Joy flinched in fear.

"AAH!" she yelped.

"Hey, it's okay! I'm here. Are you alright?"

"O-Oh, y-yeah... I'm okay. I'm okay. Don't worry about me," Joy said. Felix could sense the shakiness in her voice, but he was too kind to not comment on it.

"Okay then." He took her hand and pulled her up. "I've got a chair for you to sit on you know."

"I know. I just-"

 _ **BOOM!**_

While Felix cringed at the sudden noise, Joy gasped and crouched down into a ball and held her ears shut. She was shaking. Felix looked at her with worry and knelt.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked softly.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" Joy asked in a panicky voice and kept on breathing heavily. Felix began to panic as well.

"Hey, h- Joy, look at me. Hey- Relax!" He took both her hands in his and gripped them tightly. "Just relax... and tell me what's wrong." He couldn't just guess what's wrong out loud. It'll make things worse for her.

Joy sighed in defeat. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Normally I don't want to... but now sure yeah."

Joy took a deep breath. "Okay, well it's been happening for a pretty long time now but I too was... always... afraid."

Felix cocked an eyebrow with confusion. "...'Too'?"

Joy sighed. "Remember what I said about that accident I vaguely remember seeing in the street we used to cross?"

"Yes...?"

"My parents were driving home from a hotel. We finished our family vacation that night. I was half asleep at the back. Then something woke me up when we got stuck in traffic. It was pretty heavy. It was raining pretty hard too. I was curious to figure out what was going on that night. And then I heard sirens, and saw ambulances. There were... these two cars that collided. There was thunder and lightning all around the suburbs that night. It just made the scenery ten times scarier. I begged my parents to stop the car to see what was going on, but you know my parents. They don't want any trouble in their lives just to keep each other, and myself happy. And because of that, we just passed by, like every one would do.

"And every night, when it rained very hard to the point where I would hear lightning clashing and thunder roaring, I would go back to thinking of that night - that night where I saw that car crash. My parents encouraged me to get over it and in a few years... I got over it. Or at least I thought I was over it. But here I am again..." Joy explained, her voice and body shaking.

Felix was fully awake to hear all that. He was shocked. _She was there... all this time she was there. I didn't even know her and she was there. I could've met her ages ago if her parents stopped the car to help just as she begged them to. We could've been closer than the day we met._

Suddenly the door slowly opened behind them, and they saw Sadie with a shocked look on her face. _Oh snap! Did she just hear us?_ Joy thought.

"H-hey, Sadie! Do you need anything?" Felix asked.

"I need answers." Sadie walked towards them and sat on the floor with them. "Do you think we should tell her?"

Felix remained motionless for a few moments but nodded.

"You didn't... hear all that did you?" Joy said.

"I heard enough. Joy, there's something we want you to know," Sadie began. She took a deep breath and answered. "We were the victims of that car crash."

Joy's eyes widened in horror. "Wait... what?"

"It's true! And another truth is that Felix and I... we're not related. At all," Sadie continued. "We're step siblings," she finished. Felix nodded in agreement.

"W-What? Why? How the-? Oh my goodness. What happened!?" Joy said shakily.

"It's not such a long story but," Felix started. "My mom - my real mom - was pregnant that night. I was pretty excited, yet scared for her at he same time. She was in deep pain, so dad had to rush her and myself to the hospital at that late hour. Being in panic, my dad drove faster than usual, which scared me. All he told me to do was to calm mom down. It was foggy that night, dad was too focused on the road to catch a red light. And just like that, we crashed.

"The worst part of it all was: Sadie's car was at our right side, where mom sat. And being protective and all, she..." Felix huffed with tears and was unable to continue.

"It's not all their fault," Sadie added, tears coming out of her eyes as well. "My parents became upset that night... and it's all because of me." She paused and sobbed for a few moments. Felix pulled her in and allowed her to cry on his chest.

"W-What do you mean because of you?" Joy asked. She could also feel herself crying.

"All I said was I wish I had an older sibling - a brother maybe as well. I was so lonely as a kid. And that's when my mom started crying because..." Sadie took a deep breath and continued. "She said I could've had an older brother but she ended up having a miscarriage instead. Dad was driving that night. He too became upset. The moment he saw the green light, he continued to move. But then out of nowhere, his car came in and... Dad died after crashing into them. Luckily, my mom and I were sitting at the back, so we weren't exactly harmed."

"We were rushed to the hospital that night. My mom didn't make it. Her dad didn't make it. And both our parents argued with each other. I was very upset and very shaken up. I didn't just lose my mom, I lost what could've been my younger sister. But, I guess there's always a twist in everyone's life. Sadie saw me crying and shaking like a leaf. I saw her and she was also crying. We both talked a bit and we realized we had a little something in common," Felix explained.

"You... wanted each other?" Joy guessed.

Felix nodded. "That's right. I wanted a younger sister but I lost her fore I even met her. She wanted a big brother but she lost him long before she was born. And then we realized... maybe we are meant to be siblings and we just didn't realize it. We instantly became close friends.

"Being hateful towards each other at the time, mom and dad wanted to break us up and take us home, but we were practically inseparable. Sadie told her mom that she would 'cry forever' without her dad, and me, and I told my dad I felt safer and comforted being with her. And they both knew how much we wanted siblings of our own. The two of them had no choice but to stay together in order for the two of us to be together. We were still very upset when our parents died. Mom and dad were still angry at each other about the whole incident. But when they see us bonding so well together as siblings, they both realized they no longer have a reason to be angry. Deep down, they were who they were: sad and scared.

"Overtime, mom and dad got to know each other better and started having certain things in common. We both knew they knew each other before, but they never said a word until then. Time passed and eventually they both became happy with their company. They learned to love each other even. Dad would protect her, and mom would comfort him - just as what Sadie and I did together. Of course, no one can truly replace my real mom and her real dad. We still feel devastated until now, but we were also thankful that such a tragic moment could lead us to the kind of life that we live in right now. I just wish we didn't give up a loved one to experience it," Felix finished.

Joy had no words to express the pain they felt - to express the pain she would've felt if she was put in that situation. Despite all that, she still refused to cry. "Felix... Sadie... I'm so sorry this happened to you. I-If only my parents had stopped the car, then we could've helped! Then they would've known that it was their friends who died all along. But we passed by the incident like it never happened - like we never saw it. If only we stopped and helped, I could've met you guys and we could've been closer than we are right now. I'm very sorry you've been through all this. And now Desiree and Angus mercilessly make fun of you like you haven't had enough sufferings in your lives and yet you still manage to stay 'strong. If only I was there... longer before it started! Maybe then I would realize what true pain feels like," Joy cried.

Sadie looked at her worriedly and opened Joy's crossed arms so she could hug her. Joy felt this and returned the hug tightly. Felix smiled warmly and placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Joy, it doesn't matter if you met use before or not. We already love you," Sadie cried. "Felix was too scared to accept you as his friend because he was afraid that he might lose you, especially if you two get too close. Just like when his dad lost his mom that night."

Felix blushed fiercely and so did Joy. Sadie felt Joy's heart pump faster.

"SADIE!" Felix shouted.

"Sorry."

"Things are different now, Joy," Felix protested.

"If that happens... you'll protect me right?" Joy said softly.

"J-Joy... of course I'll protect you! I may be scared, but I'm brave too," Felix stammered. "I promise that if anyone ever hurts you, I'll do everything I can to keep you safe." He brought his hand to her face and wiped a tear away with his thumb. Joy blushed and held Sadie tighter like she was a stuffed animal.

"You're cool, Joy, and I like you for that. You're like a sister to me-" Felix paused and saw Sadie giving him a chubby glare. _Uh oh, she's jealous,_ he thought. "O-Okay, you're m-m-more than a sister to me... I-I believe," he stuttered.

"Hmm.. I like that," Joy giggled.

"I'm tired. I'm going back to bed," Sadie yawned and walked back to her room.

"Do you want me to tuck you in, sis?" Felix asked.

"No thanks. A hug is fine." Sadie gave her brother one last hug for the night before heading back to her room.

"W-Wait, where will Joy sleep?" Felix suddenly asked.

"She can sleep with you, Felix. I think your bed is big enough for the two of you," Sadie answered.

"Y-You can't be serious! You mean I sleep... with HER!?" he hissed. "Joy?!"

"What's wrong with that? She's a girl," she whispered.

"She's not just a girl - she's Joy! A-and it's just that... I never slept with a girl before!"

"What about your mom? Or me?"

"That's a completely different story! You're family to me!"

"Isn't she family to you?"

"No she's not. She's my friend!"

"You mean your _girlfriend_ ," Sadie corrected

"Okay I love her! So what? I can't just- all the more reason I shouldn't sleep with her!" Felix retorted.

"Chill out! She's only sleeping with you until mom and dad come back. Okay? Okay, goodnight," Sadie immediately turned her back on him and left.

"Sadie? Sadie you get back here because we are not done ye- URGH!" Felix snarled before nearly screaming in the end.

"Are you okay, Felix?" Joy asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah... you see Sadie and I were talking and Sadie had this ridiculous idea of the two of us sharing the bed until our parents get back and yeah, it's pretty dumb I know," Felix explained at a very fast pace.

"Now that you mentioned it, I am getting tired. And sharing a bed that big isn't so bad. Mom and dad won't come back till ten-ish right?" Joy asked.

"Dad said before midnight," Felix corrected. Then he checked their clock. It's only 8 pm. They've been chatting since six o'clock that night. _Mom, dad, please come home already_ , Felix thought.

"I just realized, we haven't had dinner yet! Are you hungry, Felix?" Joy asked.

"Now that you mentioned it..."

 **After dinner...**

"That was great! Your mom's a pretty good cook," Joy said.

"Yeah. Dad's just there to make sure nothing bad happens in the kitchen. So, should we continue studying?" Felix asked.

"Sure! Let's do some history next since... I'm lost," Joy laughed.

"Alright, let's do it!"

 ***Half an hour later***

As soon as he finished, Felix realized that Joy too fell asleep. He sighed and shook her gently.

"Hey, Joy, wake up," he said.

Joy moaned and rubbed her eyes. "Are we finished?"

"Well... I just finished teaching you," Felix chuckled.

"Oh dang. I feel like you now," Joy said. Then she yawned. "I'm going to bed. You don't mind if we share yours, do you?"

Felix smiled crookedly. "Not at all."

"What's the matter?"

"Oh nothing... Except it's just that I have issues sleeping... With... You," Felix mumbled shyly while fidgeting his fingers.

"Why?" Joy asked innocently.

"I-I don't know... I'm just... You know, claustrophobic. That's all," Felix explained almost incoherently.

Joy giggled. "Is that why you won't let me touch your hair?"

"What? No! Let's just say I'm sensitive."

"Oh... Is that so?" Joy said with a devious look in her eyes. Felix gulped.

"... What're you up to?" Felix asked nervously.

"Nothing. Hey... who's ticklish, huh? Here comes the Tickle Monster!" And with that, Joy launched herself on Felix.

"The tickle what- AGH!" Felix yelped and couldn't stop laughing. Joy was tickling him everywhere. "Stop, please!" He begged in between his laughter.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Joy giggled and tickled him harder.

"Well guess what," Felix's face grew with mischief. "Two can play at this game!" Being stronger than Joy, he gently pushed and pinned her. Then it was his turn to tickle her.

"Felix stop!" Joy laughed.

"Looks like someone else is ticklish," Felix teased.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop! Please have mercy!" Joy begged.

Felix listened and immediately got off of her. "Well I'm glad you learned your lesson."

"Yeah..." Then her grin returned. "Just kidding!"

Felix flinched and made a run for it. "AAH! Get away from me!"

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you. I'm too busy chasing you!" Joy yelled. The rest of the night went on with the two laughing, giggling, chasing, tagging, and tickling each other nonstop. It's as if all the sadness they felt was washed away that night, and later filled with joy. They felt like a couple of five year old children. All the energy died down once they both laid down on Felix's bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Oh my gosh, dude, that was like the best night ever!" Joy exclaimed breathlessly.

"You could say that again," Felix breathed. "I never thought I'd say this but: I never felt so alive!"

"Now you're getting it! Although, we failed to finish our homework," Joy said.

"Ah, don't worry about it for now. We don't have maths and history tomorrow anyway," Felix replied.

"Oh thank heavens for that! What time is it?" Joy asked.

"It's... ten pm," Felix answered. "You know... it's funny. First we were scared of crossing the street earlier today, then we felt sad after brooding over the past, and now we're just living the moment with, you know, happiness."

"Yeah..." Joy sighed. "Emotions come in unexpected ways. I'm going to hit the hay. Wake me up when mom and dad get back," she added.

"Y-Yeah, alright." A couple of minutes passed and Joy was already asleep. Felix stayed awake and sat up to look at her. For an energetic girl, she looked so peaceful when she's asleep. He gently placed his hands over hers.

"Don't you worry, Joy. I'll protect you for as long as I live. I promise," he whispered softly and leaned in to kiss her forehead. Then he laid back down and unwittingly drifted off to sleep. Unknown to him, Joy smiled, knowing she felt everything he said and did to her.

An hour later, Sadie opened Felix's door and noticed the couple already asleep. It was dark, but the light from her room shone a bit of the way. She took a closer look and noticed that Felix's hand was resting over Joy's and the two faced each other. The girl smiled and went to Felix's side of the bed. Then she grabbed the blanket and pulled it until Felix fell on the floor with a thud.

"OW!" Felix yelped.

"Wake up," Sadie whispered.

"Who's there!?" Felix squeaked and shakily searched for his flashlight. As soon as he opened it, he pointed it directly towards Sadie. "AH!" he shrieked

"Hello."

"AAAAHHHH!" he screamed even louder. Sadie glared and covered his mouth.

"Will you be quiet! Mom and dad are home," Sadie informed. Then she grinned. "And were you just sleeping with Joy, you sly dog?"

Felix blushed fiercely. "It's NOT what you think, Sadie!"

"I'm just kidding." The girl climbed on the bed and shook her friend. "Joy, wake up," she called.

Joy whimpered at the sound of the noise and awoke. "Uh, what's going on?" she moaned.

"Mom and dad are home, and so are your parents. They have something important to say to us," Sadie said.

"Really?" Joy asked, fully awake in an instant.

"Oh yeah?" Felix groaned while rubbing his back after the fall.

"Yes?" Sadie deadpanned.

"Then let's go!" said Joy. She leaped out of bed, kept all her things and headed towards the living room with Sadie and Felix for the big announcement.

* * *

 **THANK GRAVY IT'S DONE. I thought it never ended. And ALL this... happened in just one night. ONE night. Good job, me.**

 **What did you think? Or did you already stop reading this halfway through because it was so darn long/cliche/both/etc.? xD I told you there will be lots of Starnerve moments. You now understand the backstory behind Felix and Sadie, but that's the least of what you should know. For instance, there's still the parents' side of their story. Or the reason why Desiree and Angus hate Felix and Sadie.**

 **I'm happy with how this came out, and I hope you didn't get a brain fart while reading all this. I hope you all enjoyed it too. If you didn't, then don't let me know. Just walk away and never come back.** **Next chapter features the Emotions' Parents' only and no one else.**

 **Don't forget to leave a review and please forget to flame and hate. Thank you.**


	8. Chapter 8: An Emotional Truth

**HELLO! DID YOU GUYS MISS ME? Nah, you guys missed my story. I'm joking. It doesn't really matter. I've been hella busy the past few weeks, and I got the guts to write a Zootopia fanfiction. It came out great. Anyways, I'm surprised by the amount of reviews I've gotten. Wait no longer, I've got this chapter sorted out for you guys. First:**

 **Extreme Light 9: Thanks!**

 **Mlplovergirl500: I know… but it's all in the past anyway.**

 **ErinMilne: Your disgust is missing out. XDD And the fact that they were stepsibs was obvious.**

 **Mystrieuse: Thank you!**

 **VickyT36: Thanks!**

 **Mehas: Thanks!**

 **BunnyLover666: Cheers!**

 **Sunny: Wait no longer my dear! A new chapter is here!**

 **Creativity Queen: That's right! You might be surprised to know the reason why they hate each other. And yes, Sadie was bullied verbally, so you could say she was called names like Cry Baby… or something worse. Don't worry too much about the prom yet, it's still a long way to go xDD**

 **Brickoli: Oh my, you're too kind! Thanks!**

 **MintyStar: Thanks! I like this one and yeah true it seems rushed but the way its read makes think the series of events happened for a long time so it's nuts. And don't worry, there will be more Brickoli moments and probably an intense moment between Desiree and Sadie.**

 **Crazyguy: Thanks! Little known fact about Bing Bong in this movie is that he's very poor and people make fun of him for the way he is. Enough said. But thanks!**

 **Guest: Thanks! And yes! Sometimes I wish I skipped the whole story and went to the prom scene straightaway.**

 **Guest: Yay!**

 **ToyLoversTeamTTL: Worry no longer! I've got another chapter for you!**

 **TDOFAJ: Pff hahaha!** ** _Soooon…. C:_**

 **Morning star: The way you described that escalated so quickly! I may or may not do something like that though.**

 **Kevincong: Good observations!**

 **Guest: Oh my! Thanks a heap!**

 **Metherarto: Well it's back for now… I nearly forgot about this but it's back now so yay!**

 **Starfighter101: I know right?**

 **Ellena: Thanks! Desiree and Angus' relationship will become centric soon. ;)**

 **Guest: You want more? You get more!**

 **Because it's been forever, I don't know if you guys are still following this story or if you're still interested in the pairings in this story. Oh and before you read, if you're a Fear/Sadness shipper then you might like this chapter. ;D**

 **Ladies and gents this chapter is dedicated to Riley's Parents' Emotions. They don't get enough credit here in Fanfiction so why not give them all the credit in this chapter. They're the ones who brought out the humor in the movie after all. But in this chapter, things go down real quick so prepare for the feels – that is I hope you get them.**

* * *

While Joy settled down with Felix and Sadie in their rooms, their parents were in the living room reminiscing all the precious moments they had together. Freddie and Sam may be happy to see Jay and Jolie again. However, Joy's parents have hints of nervousness inside of them. _Do Freddie and Sam know?_

"It's been so long, Fred! How have you been?" Jay exclaimed.

"It has been indeed! Well, things haven't went well without you, and we miss you two a lot. But we learned to work things out in the end. And here we are now. Right, Sam?" Freddie chuckled while placing his arm around the bespectacled bluenette.

"Yeah… life was hard without you and the others," Sam added.

"What do you mean?" Jolie asked, somewhat knowing the answer. Or so she thought.

"Well, an unexpected turn of events happened… enough said," Freddie said.

The atmosphere changed between Jay and Jolie. It happened in a split second. Everything started coming back to them: their memories and what they were told. Jay stood from the couch and looked down on his former co-worker sternly. "That's what we want to know. We heard rumors on what happened, but we want to hear the truth from you."

"Jay, calm down," Jolie said.

"I certainly will not, Jo. I want to know. Why did you leave them?" Jay asked almost desperately.

"What?" Freddie asked.

"What're you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Come on, we know something's not right here," Jolie said, her voice calm.

Freddie and Sam looked at each other and realized what she was talking about. How could Jay and Jolie not know about this? Then it hit them again. Their only assumption now was from _them_. Sam felt tears forming in her eyes and Freddie wrapped his arm around her for comfort. It was discomforting for the Starlight couple.

"What did Desiderio and Diana tell you?" Freddie questioned.

"Desiderio told me Sam cheated on Salome! How could you do such a thing!?" Jay snapped. It scared everyone in the room.

"Cheated?!" Sam sobbed. "What are you talking about?"

"And Diana told me that you cheated on Fiona, Freddie! I don't get it I thought you loved each other!" Jolie argued.

"That's not- we didn't—"

"Tell me where they are, Fred. I haven't contacted Salome for years. It sounds as if he was so depressed after being chased away he refused to contact any of us. Where is he? Where is my best friend?!" Jay shouted.

"Shush, Jay, we can't let the children hear us!" Jolie hissed

"Okay that's enough!" Freddie snapped. He sighed stressfully and placed his hand on his forehead to calm himself. Then he took a deep breath and continued.

"Fiona and Salome… I haven't physically heard those names since _that day_." He looked at Jay in the eye and spoke. "Sam and I will explain everything. But we can't do it here. Will you take us to your home? You know, for old time's sake?"

Jay gazed at his former co-worker. How could he say no to the man who did whatever it took to keep their company whole? Every good thing about him was forgotten by this one accusation. He cheated on his own wife, Fiona. Or so he thought. How? Why? He felt the same thing towards Sam. Jolie missed her, but she couldn't tell whether she should forgive her for what she thought she did.

"Fine. But we're only going to our place just to talk. Capiche?" Jay accepted.

"I assure you, that's our only intention," Freddie promised.

Both couples bid a temporary farewell to Joy, Felix, and Sadie, and headed off to Jay and Jolie's house. It was only a few blocks away. Ironically, they never saw each other. Not even once. Freddie and Sam once saw Andy and Angie. And if it weren't for the police standing nearby, Freddie would have gotten a black eye from his former boss, and Sam would have been strangled by her former co-worker. They couldn't be more relieved to reunite with Jay and Jolie rather than them. And the worst part is, they blamed Desiderio and Diana for their false accusations about them. To them, they were like the King and Queen of Gossip, spreading true and false rumors to their friends and co-workers. It was no wonder the Brickmans and Starlights were so disgusted.

"Look, I'll be candid. We're not mad… okay, we are mad. But we're mostly disgusted I mean – why on Earth did you cheat on them? Did they do something to you? Did you grow tired of them?" Jay interrogated while driving. Jolie tried to comfort Sam at the back. It was a nostalgic feeling for both mothers.

"Jay, I'm telling you, we didn't cheat on them," Freddie said as calmly as possible.

"What do you mean you didn't cheat on them? Desiderio told me about it!"

"And I can't believe you believed him! You know him, he always judges a book by its cover before spreading rumors about it! He goes straight to his own point like Diana does. And as for you, Jay, you and Jolie like being happy so much you refuse to get involved in dramatic situations. And when you want to know something, you simply ask someone who did get involved. That's so typical of you two and I'm getting sick of it!" Freddie snapped.

"We don't want any drama in our lives, okay? We always like to have a positive outlook on ourselves and on our daughter," Jay argued back glancing back and forth between Freddie and the road.

"So you don't like to get involved even when your own friends are in danger?!" Freddie barked.

"Of course no—in danger!? What are you talking about?"

"What I'm saying is - RED LIGHT!" Freddie shouted. Jay gasped and floored the brakes at the right moment. And there they were. That same crossing intersection. Just as they stopped, a speeding car revved past them followed by a police car that was parked nearby. They were all traumatized.

"What just happened?" Jolie stuttered fearfully.

"Just stop… please… I beg of you," Sam sobbed. "I don't want anyone to die! I don't want anyone to die again!"

"Die?!" Jolie repeated in shock.

Freddie finally cracked and spanked Jay's head for his idiocy. "Dang it, Jay, you could have gotten us all killed!"

"I-I'm sorry, I-"

"No, no more excuses! I can't allow anyone else to get killed anymore! I just can't," Freddie cried shakily. Jay and Jolie's eyes shrunk in horror.

"…Killed?" Jay whispered.

Freddie sobbed quietly, allowing tears to fall, and slumped on his seat. He felt defeated. But thank heavens they were still alive. He couldn't imagine what it's like to never return home to their children. More importantly, he couldn't imagine the kids being in the car, hearing them screaming and bickering. He covered his eyes with one hand and just tried not to let his wife see him cry. "Just… drive," he breathed.

Jay slowly turned to the road. He had never seen his friend cry before. And those words… killed? Die…? No. It can't be. After all those years of waiting, he and Jolie finally realized.

Fiona and Salome are dead.

Upon reaching their house. It was raining fairly heavily therefore they stayed in the car. They just sat there in silence, hearing the soft sobs between Freddie and Sam.

"Fred," Jolie began. Freddie didn't answer, nor did he want to look at her.

"Did Fiona… how?"

"My wife… my child… I lost them both. And it's all my fault," Freddie confessed. Then he revealed his bitter face and cried out. "They died because of me!"

"Wait. Your child? You mean to say that Fiona was—" before Jay could continue, Fred cut him off with a shout.

"Pregnant! She was bloody pregnant! We could have had another child, a daughter. And for once, we could have made Felix smile with what could have been his new sister, but all I gave him was another reason to be afraid! I just wanted our family to be safe. The last thing I wanted for my son was for him to grow up with nothing but fear. And ever since that day, I felt like a failure. I failed as a father to him, I failed as a husband to my wife, and now I feel like a failure as your friend.

"And they died. She sacrificed herself to protect Felix. They died on that same street that made me want to punch you after nearly making that same mistake!"

"Oh my stars…" said a breathless Jolie.

"Who's the idiot that crashed into you?!" Jay snapped.

"That idiot, you speak of, was my husband, Jay!" Sam interjected.

"What?!"

"The idiot was me, Jay! I'm the idiot who passed that red light!" Freddie cried.

"Salome, Sadie and I were on our way home one night. Sadie complained that she never got an older sibling. I instantly felt guilty because I had a miscarriage before Sadie was born. And because it was rainy and foggy that night, Salome only listened to that green light. And the moment he went through the fog… he slammed into Fiona's side and killed her along with himself," Sam added.

"I can still remember the night I lost her. And as I saw Sam in the hospital, I became furious," Freddie explained.

"I could've said the same for you," Sam deadpanned.

 ** _Short Flashback_**

 _The rest of the night was filled with nothing but mourning. Fiona and her child couldn't be saved, same goes for Salome. Thankfully, Felix and Sadie were unharmed. And while they tried to avoid witnessing the tragic sight, Freddie and Sam watched from outside the room. Freddie was fined for speeding and passing the red light. Sam couldn't care less._

 _"Give him back," whispered Sam. Then she glared furiously at Freddie and started throwing weak punches at his chest. "GIVE ME BACK MY HUSBAND, YOU MURDERER!" she wailed bitterly._

 _"Okay! So I passed a red light! Give me and my pregnant wife a break for goodness' sakes! I lost half of my family because of yours!" Freddie shouted back. He was too heartbroken to apologize._

 _"I COULD HAVE HAD A CHILD AS WELL IF IT WASN'T FOR A MISCARRIAGE SO THERE'S NO POINT IN GIVING ME SUCH AN EXCUSE!"_

 _"WELL FIONA, YOUR BEST FRIEND, AND MY WIFE, WAS JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM HAVING A BABY!"_

 _"AND MY HUSBAND, YOUR BEST FRIEND, WAS KILLED BECAUSE OF YOU! AND IT'S ALSO YOUR FAULT FOR KILLING MY FRIEND AND HER CHILD! WHO'S TO BLAME NOW, HUH? WHO'S TO BLAME?"_

 _"Enough! I can't take this anymore! Felix – we're leaving!"_

 _"Good riddance! Sadie, come, we're going home!"_

 _They both found Felix and Sadie in the waiting room, sobbing bitterly. They held each other close and let out a few hiccups. Freddie and Sam looked at each other with bewilderment. Then they glared and turned away._

 _"Felix!"_

 _"Sadie!"_

 _They both walked in and forcefully, yet reluctantly, separated the two._

 _"Let's go home," sighed Sam. Sadie resisted and tried to let go of her mother's grip._

 _"NO! I don't wanna!" she protested._

 _"Felix, we're leaving," Freddie ordered._

 _"I don't wanna go home! Not without her!" young Felix cried as he pointed at the chubby, bespectacled brunette._

 _"Son, you've been through enough!" Freddie argued._

 _"No! I'll be afraid without her and I don't want to be afraid anymore!"_

 _"Sadie, I can't allow you to be difficult tonight!" Sam argued similarly to her daughter._

 _"No! I don't wanna be lonely anymore!" Sadie cried._

 _Freddie and Sam froze at both their statements. This allowed Felix and Sadie to break free of their grasps and run towards each other._

 _"I won't leave you, Sadie. I promise," Felix whispered as he hugged her protectively. Sadie nodded and cried on his chest._

 _"Son, we need to go. Now," Freddie warned._

 _"If I go, Sadie goes with me!" Felix answered back._

 _"She can't replace the one we lost!" Freddie scolded._

 _"I know that! But she needs me!"_

 _Freddie flinched at his son's words. Sam was rendered speechless. And Sadie continued to cry her heart out._

 _"Fine. Sadie and I will go home with you. But I'm only doing this for my daughter!" Sam spoke._

 _"The feeling's mutual. You will never replace the ones I lost," Freddie retorted._

 _It wasn't easy to cope. The only thing that made them smile was seeing Felix and Sadie being together. Freddie and Sam refused to talk. And it took months for them to forgive each other. As time went by, Freddie offered to help Sam, and saved her life multiple times from even the littlest of circumstances. Whereas when Freddie mourned over the loss of his wife and daughter, Sam sensed this and offered a comforting hug. It was the right time._

 _"Hey, listen," Freddie huffed._

 _"What is it?" Sam asked softly. She didn't know if she was the first to see him cry. Surely Fiona has seen him cry before._

 _"I'm… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for yelling at you, I'm sorry for killing Salome, and I'm sorry for killing Fiona. I should be in custody for my mistakes. Sometimes I look at the mirror and wished I should be dead," Freddie muttered._

 _All he received was a painful slap from the adult bluenette._

 _"Don't you dare say such a thing! If you do that, where will Felix go? What will your wife think of you? Don't try to make things worse, Fred! You're better than this!' Sam rebuked. "I wanted to die with my husband, but I couldn't risk it because my daughter is still alive! I am still alive! And so are you!"_

 _"What's the point? I failed. I feel weak. I thought I was strong. It turns out I'm just a coward."_

 _"But you're not! You're alive because your son is still alive – you live for him everyday and that's what makes you strong! You faced the consequences of your actions without resisting – that's what makes you brave! And furthermore, you have us now! If it weren't for you, your son would be injured or even **dead** if you didn't protect him like you always did – and you always did it without fail! You are so much more than who you think you are! _

_"So please, don't leave. I already lost someone I love. I can't imagine what it's like to lose another. So please, please don't leave." Sam begged and hugged Freddie tightly._

 _"Sam," Freddie breathed._

 _"You don't have to live for me. Live for the children at least. Live for your son. Live for the life you'll have ahead of you. If God wanted us, then he would have taken us. But we're still here, right? We survived for a reason. And just so you know, you gave me a reason to live. I chose not only to live for my daughter, but for you and your son as well. You helped us, and taught us things we never thought we could do. You protected us. And yes, it's true. You can never replace the man I loved and lost. But I know for a fact that losing you will hurt me nearly as much as it did when I lost Salome. Your son will be hurt. And I don't want him to feel alone like my daughter did when she felt lonely. You can't leave. I can't allow that," Sam cried._

 _She suddenly felt a couple of arms wrapping around her. One hand rested on her back, and the other gently stroked her forehead. He tried to hold back tears for her._

 _"Y-You're right… I'm sorry. Thank you." He had no words to express how he felt. He didn't know what to say to her. Deep down he felt comforted._

 _"Good."_

 _Freddie chuckled. "You know… I never knew what it's like to comfort someone until I met you."_

 _Sam pulled away to look at him skeptically. "Seriously?"_

 _"Sure," Freddie shrugged. "Salome didn't influence me all that well."_

 _"So did Fiona," Sam replied._

 _"So… you love me?" Freddie asked._

 _"I guess. Do you love me?"_

 _"Not as much as I love Fiona."_

 _"I agree for Salome and myself."_

 _"What made you feel this way?" Freddie asked curiously._

 _"Well, you protected us. And your son made my daughter happy… even just a little bit. Seeing that made my day. And you were always so courageous and overprotective, I felt safe around you. I just didn't know how to return the favor," Sam explained._

 _Freddie pulled her in and rested his head on hers. "I think you just did."_

 ** _End of Short Flashback_**

"And because of that, we learned that the past stays in the past. And here we are now," Freddie finished.

"Even though we have each other, deep down we still mourn over the ones we lost," Sam added. Everyone was still in the car that night. Jolie and Jay felt guilty and speechless. For so many years, they never knew what really happened. They denied the whole situation and walked away like nothing happened; as long as it had nothing to do with them or their daughter.

"Oh Salome…" moaned Jay.

"Fiona… she was my friend… my best friend," Jolie muttered.

"Why don't we head inside? I could use a glass of water," interjected Sam

"Oh, of course!" Jolie accepted.

Both couples exited the car and settled down inside the Starlight's home. It looked simple, but the aura itself was weightlifting. It gave even Sam and Freddie a positive vibe. While the couple rested on the couch, Jay and Jolie returned with glasses of water and snacks.

"Thank you," mumbled Sam.

"No problem," Jolie replied.

"Now do you understand?" Freddie asked sternly.

"Loud and clear… Salome he… I can't believe he…" Jay stammered.

"Maybe you two should get involved next time, huh?" Sam recommended.

"Yes! Yes we should," Jolie cried. "We're sorry! We're so sorry. To tell the truth… we saw the whole incident. But we didn't know you two were involved! All we did was pass the incident. We tried to stay away from the drama. And now I realized all we ever did that night was deny our friendship! That was a mistake…"

"A big mistake," Jay corrected. He stared into Freddie's pale lavender eyes with his deep blue ones. "Can you forgive us?"

"Of course we do. If anything. We need to have a chat with Desiderio and Diana," Sam said.

"Did they witness the incident?" Jolie asked.

"No, but they did see us together. Rumors travelled fast and the Brickmans knew about it. The last time we saw each other, well, I think I explained it to you," Freddie reminded.

"Yeah. I can't believe this! I was tricked by my own co-worker! Unbelievable!" Jay exasperated. Jolie nodded in agreement. She felt betrayed by Diana.

"He didn't trick you, Jay. I know he wouldn't. He just doesn't know what really happened," assured Freddie.

"You guys are still friends, right?" Sam asked.

"I think so. We haven't spoken to each other in months. We never got to meet their daughter either," Jay surmised.

"Daughter?"

"We know Desiderio and Diana have a daughter, but we never met her. I think Andy told me that he had a son ages back. Again, we never met him either," Jay explained.

And then it hit him. Sam realized it too. They remembered what Felix and Sadie told them every day after school: how they were bullied and who bullied them. They remembered Principal Raine telling them that the parents refused to have a discussion with them about bullying. The dots were finally connected.

"How dare they…?" Freddie growled.

"What's wrong?" Jolie asked.

"Their children… We know their children! We haven't met them in person but the way you connected them to the Andy and Angie and Desiderio and Diana finally made sense now! They're Desiree and Angus. And they're the ones responsible for bullying Felix and Sadie!" Sam snapped.

Jolie and Jay looked at each other in angered shock.

"Are you kidding me? Joy told us about those two kids. But they're the children of—a-are you serious!?" Jay spoke incredulously.

Freddie stood from the couch and paced around the room frantically. "I understand it now! Now I know why Angus and Desiree were bullying our children. They were bullying them because of what their parents told them about us. They thought Felix and Sadie were just as traitorous and deceitful as they thought Sam and I were!" Freddie informed.

"So that's why Joy told us they wanted her to stay away from them," Jay realized. Jolie nodded in agreement.

"I bet if they realized the truth, everything will change and they will no longer hate each other!" Freddie implied.

"I don't know… I mean won't their parents be the judge of what they hear? It might make things worse," Jolie muttered doubtfully. Jay smiled with an idea.

"And that's where we come in, Sunshine! I have a plan!" Jay exclaimed.

* * *

The two couples drove back to the Teardrop-Nerveling's home. It was fairly late when they returned. Sadie awoke, heard they had a plan, and alerted Joy and Felix that their parents were home, much to their surprise.

"Mom, dad, you're back!" Joy shouted with excitement.

"Did you have fun?" Sadie asked curiously.

"It was raining outside! Did something happen?" Felix asked nervously.

"No, kiddo, nothing happened. We have an idea!" Jay answered.

"Oh! I love ideas! Is it gonna be fun?" Joy asked.

"I have a feeling it will be!" Jolie answered with enthusiasm.

"We're going to have a family reunion," Freddie announced.

"Oh. With whom?" Felix asked.

"Before we had you, we were friends and co-workers in our own businesses. Apparently they went bankrupt not long after we got married so we went our separate ways since then. That's why during the weekend, you're going to meet our friends and their families. It'll be fun! You'll get to meet our friends for the first time!" Jolie said.

"That sounds awesome, mom!" Joy complimented.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Sadie mumbled.

"No kidding," Felix murmured.

"So! That's our plan. Get some rest, everyone. You all have school tomorrow," Freddie announced.

"And you'll come home with us, darling," Jolie told Joy.

"Sure, mom!"

"So, how did you kids spend your night? Did you finish your homework?" Sam asked.

"Yeah… about that…" Felix mumbled, blushing slightly.

"We procrastinated a bit… but we got some of it done! Honest," Joy explained. Sadie looked at Felix and Joy knowingly.

"You are hard-headed sometimes, it's crazy," Freddie sighed.

"Sorry, dad…"

"You know, the way I see it, I think you two act like you have something going on," Jay teased before lightly tickling his daughter. "Come on, laugh it up, sweetheart," he said playfully.

"Dad!" Joy giggled. "We're just friends!"

"Sure. That's how I thought I felt around this ray of sunshine right here," Jay answered skeptically and rolled his eyes over to Jolie.

"Oh stop it you," Jolie chuckled. "Alright, Joy, get everything you need and we'll see you guys soon!"

"Saturday?" Sam asked.

Jolie ran in and gave Sam a tight hug. "Saturday. Thank you... for letting us know."

"Hey... what are friends for?"

"Catcha' later, Fred?" Jay smirked.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Freddie said and gave the bluenette a man-hug. Before they left, Freddie continued to speak. "And don't forget to get involved next time!"

"I will!" And with those words, the door was shut.

"Dad…" Felix called.

"Yes?"

"What have you been talking about?" he asked teasingly.

"I don't know. What have you and Joy been doing?" Freddie asked back.

Felix blushed. "Alright, you win. I'm going to bed."

"What have you been doing anyway?" Sam asked.

"Homework, procrastination, more homework, more procrastination! Night mom, night dad! Come on, Sadie," Felix answered as he led his tired sister to her room.

The couple watched the two siblings leave and stared at each other.

"Do you think Joy and Felix like each other? I mean it's only been a couple of days," Sam whispered.

"Possibly."

"Are you okay with the two of them being together?"

"I won't mind. She's a good girl. And considering she's Jay and Jolie's daughter, I could trust her over a mile away. As long as someone isn't trying to date Sadie, otherwise he'll have to go through me. Whoever he is, he's not good enough for her. No one is," Freddie answered.

Sam giggled. Salome would have thought the same thing, only he'd be harsher and tell that boy to 'go to jail' just for asking his daughter out. Freddie thought of how his wife would react if she realized Felix was in love with Joy. If she were here, she would be happy to know that her son will be dating her best friend's daughter one day, he thought. Before they left to their bedroom, Sam smiled at Freddie's words as she always knew how special her daughter was and agreed.

"You are so right."

* * *

 **I can't tell if that was a good chapter or a 'meh' chapter. It's all in your opinion. Was the update worth it? Feel free to let me know. Were you confused? Feel free to let me know. I can be very confusing sometimes. In the next chapter, the only spoiler is I might skip time a little and put it into summary so we can get to the good parts. Also prepare to hear about an obvious announcement from the whole school. And of course, more Starnerve, with Brickoli and Nervous Tears bromance on the side, will be expected.**

 **Have a great day everyone!**


	9. Chapter 9: An Emotional Announcement

**I hereby welcome myself back with another update.**

 **Jonathan Sharp: Thanks! And my Zootopia fanfiction is already up.**

 **Mlplovergirl500: Aw thanks! And I'm glad to hear that!**

 **Vicky: Thank you.**

 **Brickoli: Oh my, thank you! And I really adore your fanart for me on Tumblr! Have you guys seen it? Yeah, visit my Tumblr now and feast your eyes. And that's fairly fine by me.** **J**

 **Mindykalingfan: Hmm… pretty much. We'll just see what happens next.**

 **Sunny: Hey! Glad you kept track of this story! I really appreciate it! And yeah, that reunion might not come too soon but it will.**

 **Ellena: I'm curious too. Thanks!**

 **Kurtty: Thanks and you're welcome!**

 **HollyAnne: Greetings! And thanks so much! I'm no longer quick when it comes to updating stories but I'm doing by best.**

 **Guest: Thank you !**

 **Joylovesfear123: Thanks and I will**

 **Minty Star: Thanks! And the reunion may or may not have to wait.**

 **Joylovesfear123: Thanks and if I have time I will**

 **If you guys are interested in seeing Bing Bong in this story then go on right ahead and read this chapter! Another minor character will also be introduced. And... the 'big' announcement has been made! Huzzah! Warning, it's a little cliche, but don't worry... even Sadie and Felix are aware of this and they hate it. XDD**

* * *

"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" Felix woke up screaming the next morning after feeling his face getting slammed by a pillow.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. You forgot about school," Sadie reminded.

"Oh… morning already?" Felix yawned before checking the clock. His alarm hasn't rung yet. "It's a little too early, don't you think?"

"We have things to look forward to. I don't want to miss out on anything anymore," Sadie whined.

Felix sighed and reluctantly removed himself from his bed and walked with Sadie out of his room. "Oh, fine…"

"I feel like I interrupted a perfect dream," Sadie teased.

"Oh… well it wasn't _that_ perfect," Felix mumbled sheepishly while fiddling his fingers.

"What was it about?"

"Oh, I don't know… the sunshine on a cumulonimbus day; the one celestial body that shines in the caliginous skies at night, the Luna that revolves around me for I am Gaia-"

"Joy?"

"Wait to ruin my eloquent moment."

"I'm sorry," Sadie apologized guiltily.

"I-It was a joke…! Don't fret. I'm sorry," Felix stammered. After having a shower and getting dressed, they finally met their parents at the kitchen.

"Hey, kiddos! Did you sleep well?" Freddie asked.

"For once, Felix didn't have a nightmare," Sadie announced.

"Sadie!" Felix hissed.

"Where's mom" Sadie wondered.

"In the living room," Freddie answered. Sadie hopped off her chair and headed for the living room. She already had breakfast before she woke Felix up. Meanwhile Freddie turned to his son with a devious grin. "So, Romeo, what was this actual dream you just had?"

Felix snapped from his daydreaming gaze. "Romeo…? H-how did you-?"

"I made those faces whenever I used to dream about your mother, you know. I take it that you are enamored with a girl in school, eh?" Freddie teased. He did his best to keep his real emotions in. After all, he already knew the truth.

"I… guess you could say that."

"Care to talk about it with your old man?" Freddie asked rhetorically.

"Well… you see, it's about-"

"Hey, Felix! Sorry I didn't come in right away. I was too distracted by your mom and Sadie," Joy greeted, much to the purple-haired boy's surprise. Felix immediately blushed and nearly jumped from his chair.

"Joy! Hey! What a pleasant surprise!" Felix exclaimed. Out of corner of his ear, he heard Freddie snorting at him knowingly.

"Me being here is a pleasant surprise?" Joy asked incredulously.

"Well yeah… it's just that, I didn't expect you to come over every morning like it's your daily routine. Hehe," he chuckled. Deep down, he mentally slapped himself.

"Oh! Well since we're best friends now, I figured I'd stop by and come fetch you guys so we can walk to school together!" Joy suggested.

"Brilliant idea, sweetheart! I know you and Sadie will be safe knowing Felix will be walking with you two," Freddie interjected.

"Thanks dad," Felix sighed.

"Oh, Sadie, your friend is such a – say it with me now – Joyride! I know that was terrible but I couldn't care less," Sam spoke as she entered the kitchen.

"That was good, actually! I'll give you that. Also, I heard from Sadie that you didn't have a nightmare! How was it? Was it beautiful? I bet it was," Joy said.

Felix's shoulders droop and so did his face. "I'll never trust anyone but myself again," he murmured to himself.

"What was that?" Joy asked.

"I- I mean yes! It was great! The most beautiful dream I've had… ever. And it sucks because dreams are for rookies and they're never meant to come true," Felix answered quickly.

"Says the boy who still wishes on a star at night," Sam teased. Felix's face paled as he slammed himself on the table. Joy was shocked.

"MOM!"

"That's so cute!"

"I stopped wishing a long time ago – I really did!" Felix protested. He jumped off his chair and took his bag. "Let's go…"

"Bye, kiddies, have a great day! And stay safe!" Freddie shouted.

"Always will do, dad," Felix responded before exiting the house followed by Joy and Sadie.

"Sadie, there are days where I love you to bits, and there are those where I just want to stitch a zipper onto your mouth," Felix grumbled.

"I'm sorry… this is why I don't like having fun sometimes," Sadie whimpered.

"It's not that I don't want you to have fun. I just want you to set your limits," Felix explained.

"I know…. But at least I'm trying."

"That's the spirit, Sadie! I can't wait to see Mr. Bing again. It felt like ages since we've seen him!" Joy said excitedly.

"I hope we can see him again considering he works here very early or very late," Sadie moaned.

"We'll see him again. I know it!"

* * *

The trio were the first students to enter the school. Hardly anyone was there except for a familiar-looking janitor.

"See? I told you he's here," Joy spoke confidently.

"It appears Principal Raine came in early too," Felix pointed out. Joy turned to where he pointed and saw her principal for the first time. Unusual to most people, she dyed her hair in six different colors, or seven considering no one knows her true hair color. She has lavender eyes. And despite her colorful appearance, she appeared to be a wearing dull, grey business collared shirt with a matching skirt. One thing's for sure, Joy immediately beamed at her.

"Ah, hello! You're early," she greeted.

"Whoa… you look amazing! I like your hair!" Joy complimented.

"Aw, thank you! You're that new student I see," Raine inquired.

"Indeed I am!"

"What brings you here early today, ma'm?" Sadie asked.

"Oh, I'm preparing the auditorium for an announcement. The entire school has been dying to hear this for ages," Raine announced.

"We'll not be knocked dead literally, right?" Felix asked cautiously. The principal chuckled and shook her head. The boy sighed in relief.

"You're not talking about Prom Night are you?" Sadie complained.

"Don't spoil it out loud, my dear," Raine hushed her. She heard a loud beep and checked her watch. "Oh my! I better get going."

"Can we help?" Joy asked.

"No, no, this is for the school staff to arrange only," said the principal as she left them with slight confusion.

"Prom Night?" Joy asked.

"Only the most expectant event of the whole school," Felix defined.

"It kept getting cancelled for months and the date was finalized in four months," Sadie added.

"That's in October! I'm actually so excited!" Joy squealed.

"We're not," Sadie deadpanned.

Joy stopped jumping and frowned. "What? Why?"

"News flash, Joy: We can't dance, we don't play dress up, we're _not_ good looking enough, no one would want to dance with us, and Desiree and Angus will do everything in their power to ruin our nights. So be it. You know what, the feeling's mutual," Felix explained.

"Yeah, but come on! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You can't miss this. I can't miss this," Joy pleaded. "I would love to go, but I especially want to go with _you_ guys! I can't take no for an answer!"

"Joy…" Sadie whined. Joy placed her arm around the smaller bluenette.

"Sadie, you're adorable and you definitely **will** look cute in a dress!"

"Yeah, but nobody would dance with me…"

"That doesn't mean you can't dance! Dancing doesn't just involve a partner or anything…"

"I know what you mean, but still!"

"You and I can dance! We'll be like sisters!" Joy encouraged.

"I… I don't know…"

Joy smiled and scooted over to Felix. She took his hands in hers –which of course caused him to turn red – and continued. "And you! I would love to see you in a tuxedo one day, AND I can definitely teach you how to dance. In fact, I can teach both of you!"

"Y-You can…? And why would you want to see me in a tux?" Felix asked.

"Why wouldn't I? You're sweet, charming, handsome, drop-dead gorgeous—wait what?" Joy stuttered suddenly at that last statement. She too started to blush. Felix blushed even harder.

"Y-Yeah but I'm only sweet and charming to youuuuuuuu—and Sadie! I freeze up whenever I'm with other people," Felix stammered. Joy tried to come up with the right words. Sadie just stood there with high expectations between the couple.

"W-what I mean is I-"

"Hey, guys! Did you come early for me?" asked a familiar voice.

"Hello, Mr. Bing!" greeted Joy.

"So, I heard Principal Raine is about to announce the Prom," Mr. Bing assumed.

"He is! Isn't it great? I've been trying to encourage these guys to join me," Joy explained while gesturing towards Felix and Sadie.

"You should definitely go! I highly recommend it," Mr Bing encouraged.

"Not you too," groaned Felix.

"I don't wanna go," Sadie complained.

"Yeah, but didn't you say you didn't want to miss out on anything anymore?" Felix reminded.

"That wasn't what I meant," Sadie argued.

"Come on… can't you guys do it for me at least? You'll enjoy it. I promise," Joy pleaded. Sadie and Felix looked at each other reluctantly and shook their heads before looking back at Joy.

"Oh, alright, fine," Felix approved. The boy yelped as Joy launched herself on him for a hug. Bing and Sadie giggled at this. Felix needed to get used to this.

"Um, are we interrupting something here?" spoke an uninviting voice.

"AH! Not you two!" Bing screamed. Felix placed Joy down and glared slightly.

"What do you want now, Desiree?" he questioned.

"I don't want anything, Felix. I just heard what I wanted to hear. You and Sadie going to Prom? Please!" Desiree scoffed.

"Yeah, I'd rather be at home spending my valuable time doing homework and playing with mom and dad than having to go to some dance party where you're just going to ruin our night!" Sadie stepped in.

"It may be just some dumb party, but we're going for Joy. And we're going to en-Joy it whether you like it or not!" Felix added. Joy blushed and giggled at this.

"That was terrible," Sadie whispered.

"I know."

Desiree rolled her eyes. "It's not just some dumb event as you say. It's also the part where I'll be crowned Queen!"

"Queen of Bullies?" Sadie deadpanned.

Desiree sneered and snapped her fingers.

"Who're you calling 'Queen of Bullies'?" growled another uninviting voice.

"Okay, I think my shift is over. I'll be on my way. Bye!" Bing said before hurrying out of the school. Joy opened her mouth to try saying something, but chose not to.

Felix came in between Angus and Sadie. "Well it's true! It's like you two have nothing better to do than treat us like dirt. What do you have against us anyway?" Felix asked before having his collar brought down by Angus' fist.

"That's none of your business, beanpole!" Angus snapped. Felix glared and shoved Angus' hand away.

"Yes it is! Did we do something to you that made you hate us so much? Because darn it, Angus, I can't live like this anymore – Sadie can't live like this anymore! We want to become equal with everyone in this school. And we need to know why you always hold such a grudge for us!" Felix snapped assertively.

"Felix is right. I know that deep down you're not bullies. So why, out of all people, are you leaving _them_ out of everyone else's lives?" Joy asked.

"I… I can't tell you why. And I never will!" Angus snapped.

"We can't trust you and we never will! And Joy, you wouldn't just stand here and defend them, would you? They could turn their back on you at any minute! Don't you get it?" Desiree argued.

"Hey! I know them more than you do because I've dedicated majority of my time to them more than anyone else in this school. And I'm still new here, for your information! I trust them. And I know they won't turn their backs on me! I suggest you do the same," Joy fought back.

"Oh… I see how it is. Fine. If I can't get you to leave their side,"

"That's not what I meant-"

"Then I'll have to tell everyone that you're in on it too!"

"In on what!?"

"That you are just as untrustworthy as they are!" Desiree shouted.

Sadie glared and ran towards Desiree before Felix could stop her.

"Why you stubborn little—"

"Sadie, don't!" Felix hissed. He saw Angus making an unfamiliar face. Was this fear? Or confusion?

"Desiree. Let's go," Angus called sternly.

"Fine. Good luck finding someone besides them whom you could trust. Otherwise, you're all on your own," Desiree turned to her heel and walked off. Angus just stood there.

"Angus, come on… at least try to understand," Felix pleaded.

Before Angus could speak, he heard Desiree nagging his name. Then he returned to glaring at the lanky boy. "Don't talk to me." And with that, he left.

"Our reputation… it's ruined!" Sadie cried.

"Now do you see why we can't go to prom?" Felix said sternly.

"I… I'm sorry…" Joy apologized shakily.

"Is it over? Please tell me it's over," Bing spoke.

"What are you still doing here?" Sadie asked.

"I faked leaving so I can hide somewhere. I can be quite a coward sometimes," Bing squeaked.

"I don't blame you," Felix commented.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Bing suggested. "But I prefer this plan to be discussed to an all-time low."

"What is it?" Joy asked.

"Okay, you know how Prom has this contest where a girl gets to be crowned Queen or Princess or whatever, yeah?"

"I hate clichés," Sadie groaned.

"Yes, why?"

"You should nominate yourself! If you do, this'll give you, Felix and Sadie a chance to win everybody's trust! I mean it's a risk too considering you'll be competing against Ms Broccoli over there but-" Bing suggested.

"Bing… you're a genius!" Joy exclaimed. "But… I don't know if I'm worthy enough to compete against her."

Felix shook his head skeptically. "What're you talking about? Of course you're worthy! You're sweet, smart, talented, confident, enchanting, angelic, perfect, wait what did I just say?"

"I think you said enough. I'm definitely going to compete against her! But I'll only do it for you guys. Everyone needs to know how kind and trustworthy you guys are. After all, you're already coming to Prom for me. Winning this for you is the least I can do in return. This'll be fun! And I'm going to win," said Joy.

"I actually need to see this," Sadie said.

"That's the spirit!"

"So you're all going?" asked Bing

"I think we can go. All we have to do is let mom and dad know," Felix answered. Sadie nodded in agreement.

"Yay! You won't regret it. I promise!" Joy squealed.

As more and more students came barging into the school grounds, the janitor grabbed his belongings and headed for the exit.

"Alright my shift is over, for real this time. I'll catch you tomorrow?" Bing said.

"No, we'll catch _you_ tomorrow!" Joy corrected. Bing laughed and made his way out the door. Felix and Sadie looked around and thought of what to do next.

"So… classrooms?" Felix began. Joy smiled and nodded.

"Classrooms."

* * *

"Okay, Angus, what's up? You've been losing your flare lately," Desiree spoke softly.

"Des, we're not bullies are we?" Angus questioned, refusing to look her in the eye.

"We are to them. We're doing this for everyone. We don't want them to be horribly influenced by their trickery. It's disgusting!"

"Yeah, but we're bullying them. And we don't seem to know them like Joy does. Isn't that disgusting?"

"Honey, we don't want to fall into their trap. Alright? Our parents know more about them than Joy. I mean hello! Since they act just like their parents, they're bound to be just as traitorous as they are. Don't be so gullible!" Desiree argued.

Angus growled in defeat and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I guess you have a point. After all, I'm just forced to do as I'm told. Thanks a lot mom and dad," he huffed to himself.

"Also, mom and dad were invited to a family friend's event. I obviously told them I didn't want to go. If I don't go, they don't go either," Desiree informed.

"Why's that?"

"Duh, they said it was a family reunion! I'm just glad they respect my decisions."

"Strange. My parents got the same call. Family friends? Pfft, I've never see them hang out with anyone aside from your parents," Angus said suspiciously. Desiree gave him the same look of suspicion. Then she brushed it off with a sigh.

"No kidding. But, they cancelled it so whatever. I can't be bothered to ask."

* * *

Rather than heading to the cafeteria filled with chattering noises, Joy, Felix and Sadie headed to the library to continue their oodles of schoolwork. The assembly has just finished, so were a couple of full-hour classes. Desiree and Joy have nominated for the Prom Royalty Award Ceremony. And at this stage, everyone but Felix and Sadie were rooting for the green-haired girl to win. However, the three couldn't care less. They had all the time in the world to make a change, which was what Joy thought.

"I could get used to this," Sadie began.

"It's got my favorite type of music: the sound of silence… not too much silence though," Felix agreed.

"Hm, I like it better when it's noisier but I couldn't care less now that I have you guys," said Joy.

"You trust us… right?" Felix asked.

"Of course I do! Why wouldn't I?" Joy said while opening her notebook.

"It's just that… Desiree and Angus wouldn't stop talking about how untrustworthy Sadie and I were to them."

"I don't know. Have you done anything to them that broke their trust for you?" Joy questioned.

"We didn't do anything!" Sadie interrupted. "A few days since our first day of school, Desiree and Angus started treating us like dirt! It's like the moment we came in there, they always had it in for us," she continued.

"To this day we never understood why they hated us so much. And it really bothered us too," Felix muttered while writing in some answers.

"Don't worry, you two. We can give them a reason to love you! All we have to do is figure out the truth," Joy planned. Out of nowhere, a crossed librarian came in and hissed at the three students to stay silent before leaving them alone embarrassed while muttering soft apologies.

"Sometimes I'd rather be in the music room than here," Felix whispered.

"Get out… you guys can play instruments? O-or sing?" Joy asked excitedly.

"I play the piano and Felix can play a guitar," Sadie informed.

"Wow!" Joy whispered.

"We're not good at singing, obviously. But we do sing to each other. And don't even think about sharing our skills as an idea for everyone to like us," Felix warned.

"I wasn't going to… I was just hoping you guys could show me some of your skills," Joy whispered.

"Can't. We're in a library," Felix deadpanned, his eyes scanning the pages of his textbook.

Joy giggled. "I didn't mean now, Fe-"

"It was a joke," Felix broke in, his pale lavender eyes leaving a page to stare into her deep blue ones followed by a playful smirk. Joy blushed and snorted slightly at this.

She felt her pocket vibrate and took out her phone. Upon reading a new text message, her shoulders drooped with disappointment.

"Mom texted me. She said their friends couldn't make it at the reunion, so they cancelled it," Joy announced.

"That's sad…" Sadie moaned.

"Can't they just move the date?" Felix suggested.

"They said that too," Joy informed.

"For now, we need to think of a way to make everyone see Joy differently," Felix said.

"Nah, for now we need to finish our homework," Sadie corrected.

"Sadie's right. Plus I already know how to win everyone's trust," said Joy. Sadie placed her book down and stared into Joy's eyes with anticipation. Felix did the same.

"Oh yeah? How?" Felix asked curiously. Joy smiled back at him with confidence.

"Easy! I'll just be myself."

* * *

 **I'm not sure if that's a chapter you guys wanted but I decided to add a touch of humor to it. The next one for sure will be more of a time-skipping thing. It might be easier to explain once I do the next chapter. In the meantime, how'd this go? Yes… mhm… alright… ok…. Interesting!**

 **I better get a move on and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10: An Emotional Diary Entry

**CHAPTER 10 IS HERE! It's quite a special chapter. Here you get to see Joy writing her first, and probably last, diary entry. I've made a ton of references but I'll only give credit to the song I used which is Together Till the End by heyhihello. They're pretty good singers I must say! For the rest, I'd like to see you try to spot them yourselves. Most references were from the movie I guess, and some were from a few other movies or shows. Some of which I vaguely remember. Now let's get the review replies over with.**

 **JoylovesFear: Thanks!**

 **Mindykalingfan: Hmm that's true… something else might happen though. ;)**

 **Vicky: You'll figure it out soon…but thanks!**

 **Brickoli: We shall see.**

 **JoylovesFear: Yea… but don't think that for long ! XD**

 **Ellena: Aw thanks and lol that was awkward to hear. And yes!**

 **Sunny: Thanks! And we shall see! :D**

 **Mlplovergirl500: It'll come in one or two chapters past this one. Be patient… but there are hints of it in this chapter! ;)**

 **Guest: Wish granted!**

 **HollyAnne: It's pronounced Des-ir-ee. And we'll never know until the right chapter comes! For all everyone should know, Desiree and Angus aren't true antagonists.**

 **Slow day for reviews but that's totally alright! All that matters is that this story is up and running. In this chapter you'll see how Joy tried to win everyone's trust, a short backstory on Bing Bong's past before he became a chapter, and some Brickoli moments that you Brickoli fans might love… and maybe have a good cry about. Oh and like I said, there are hints of the reunion. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter while it lasts!**

* * *

 _Dear Emotions,_

 _Yes, saying "Dear Diary" is a cliché and we all know that diaries are inanimate objects that don't listen to you. Emotions on the other hand do. In other words, I enjoy listening to myself speak and now my Emotions seem to enjoy seeing myself write._

 _I know it's only been three days since my parents got me a diary of my own (albeit I'm a little too old for diaries) but hey, I've never kept one in my life so my sweet sixteen was when I first got this. I love the slogan too: Hide your true feelings outside. Show your true feelings inside." How true! How does this diary work?_

 _My mom didn't give me just any diary. This one was special. On the cover it's got a star shape on it. My favorite! And being a diary, it's locked. Now here's where the special part comes izn. Along with the diary, I received a star-shaped necklace. Remember what I said about a locked diary? All I had to do to open it is hold the book to my chest –where the necklace was of course – and it opens! How awesome is that? And because I have this habit of clutching books to my chest in school, I chose to leave my diary at home. After all, who in their right minds would bring a diary to school? While I left the diary at home, I brought the necklace to school with me everyday._

 _And I know I'm supposed to write about what happened today, but the past few weeks have been so exhausting, yet exhilarating I couldn't resist to write them down at today's date._

 _ANYWAY! It's been a month since I volunteered to nominate myself as the "Queen" or "Princess" of Prom or whatever title Ms. Raine thought of. She's awesome. I love her hair. I'm only doing this for Felix and Sadie. They've helped me out so much and this is the least I can do in return. After all, they convinced me to join and in return I convinced them to come to prom. They told me they didn't want to go because everyone will give them nothing but dirt, especially Desiree and Angus. But… why? I just don't understand why Desiree and Angus don't trust them; why everyone doesn't trust them. I've been with them more than anyone else in this school and I'm only new here! They're far from amazing – they're awesome! Everyone else is missing out._

 _The past few weeks started out rough. I guess 'being myself' isn't easy when it comes to these guys. Everyone_ _loved_ _Desiree! Why? Just… why? Did they really love her or were they being threatened by Angus? I think I'll have to choose that second assumption. Then again the only kids I've seen Angus threaten were my friends. They never gave Felix and Sadie a break either. Desiree continued to insult Sadie and backstab her like she's got nothing better to do, and Angus wouldn't stop throwing spit balls at Felix and kicking him where the sun doesn't shine like an immature five-year old. That was when I wasn't around for at least five minutes. I can't leave them alone for too long knowing they'll get bullied again!_

 _Felix assures me that he's got everything under control with or without me, and that he would take a punch and a kick for his sister any day. A part of me was saying he's trying to be brave, another of me was saying that was the kindest thing I've heard a boy say to his sister. Normally I hear siblings wanting to kill each other for being so annoying, but they're different! They're an archetype of a real brother-sister relationship. It's really touching! My heart… I think it just stopped._

 _After my first week of school, I immediately went nuts figuring out how to earn everyone's trust. I put up stands, made several giveaways (pins, pens, notebooks, bookmarks, and the like) with stars on them. I thanked my parents that day. I didn't sell as much because almost everyone was busy getting free cake from Desiree. I'm guessing those who bought my stuff were lactose intolerant and still rooted for Desiree. Of course Felix and Sadie bought from my stand. Felix bought almost all my bookmarks for the tons of books he wanted to read. WOW! What a bookworm! No wonder he's so eloquent. Sadie bought a few pens because hers keep getting stolen by those who wanted to 'borrow' them. Those jerks… During PhysEd, Felix was too scared to jump off the diving board, so Angus pushed him off. I never understood why he offered to jump off a ten meter diving board. Did he do that to impress me? It's a miracle he didn't lose his trunks after taking that dive. Better yet, I'm happy he survived that drop. That belly flop must've hurt a lot! Ouch! Luckily Sadie and I were with him in the clinic for the rest of the day before his dad came rushing in like a frantic doctor trying to save his patient._

 _The next week was my week off and I chose not to promote anything for anyone. We needed a break. We got to see Mr. Bing again in the morning. He talked to us about his life being rough and all. I felt sorry for him. It turns out he lives in an old apartment far away in the big city. Apparently he said he used to be the mayor of a small town before Desiree's mom started promoting these new house investments that got almost everyone in the town to leave. It was a fairly poor town and most of the houses Desiree's mom promoted were on sale at a fair price, one which even the poor townspeople could afford. And they bought it and left. Mr Bing said no one was left and he had no choice but to resign and live out the rest of his life in the big city. He said he spent all his money on his apartment room and his needs, so he had nowhere to go but work in our school as a janitor. He said he never liked his job until he met us. I still remember when Sadie couldn't stop crying after hearing the story, so she offered Mr. Bing a comforting hug._

 _And – guess what else? I got to convince Felix and Sadie to showcase their musical talent to me! YAY! It's our little secret so shh… We spent most of our time in the music room. Felix played the guitar for me in school, and Sadie played the piano for me at their house. The songs they played were gloomy apparently… and the music I normally listen to is upbeat and full of optimism. Hey, it's better than today's songs where only have two or three words are sang a million times for three minutes straight. I convinced them to play for me, but I never convinced them to sing. Sadie told me her singing voice sounds like a dying cat. Felix was slightly confident in telling me that he can sing, but that was just it. I offered to help him boost his confidence, much to his reluctance. The rest of the day turned out neutral. I tried to brighten up their day, and Desiree and Angus get in our way to ruin it all. I wake up the next day, everyday, hoping they could turn a new leaf._

 _Speaking of Desiree and Angus, the couple seem to be having some issues with their relationship. It's like a warzone between those two! They won't stop arguing! Sadie was relieved. She loved the tension because it had nothing to do with her or Felix. Poor Felix tried to walk away from it all. Sadie and I were debating whether Angus and Desiree will break up or not and how long it will take before their relationship explodes. Sadie gave them an hour. I gave them a week. The sad thing is, neither of us won. Darn it. But at the same time Sadie and I talked about how Desiree and Angus were 'perfect' for each other. I mean think about it! Desiree seldom smiles, she usually complains about everything (especially if they're dirty and icky and whatnot) and wouldn't stop bullying my friends. Angus on the other hand never smiles (unless he does things his way), is hostile to everyone, complains about everything and ends up blowing a fuse. Put them together and you get a healthy, happy relationship._

 _Then again, I kind of wished we all made up with Desiree and Angus. I mean, think of all the fun stuff we could do with them if we became friends! Desiree has a great sense of fashion and I would love for her to take Sadie and I shopping with her one day. That would be fun! Oh, and we can also get Angus and Felix to get along too! It might not be easy for Angus, and I do know Felix might run away for the most part, but I'll try to make it work. And hopefully when we meet their parents, they'll be sure to like us once they realize that Desiree and Angus became our friends! Of course…. If that happens. There's always a chance!_

 _Speaking of parents, mom and dad keep cancelling the family reunion event because their 'friends' would rather not come. To this day, I'm still confused as to why that is. If they're really mom and dad's friends, then they should make the time to come over! My parents were turned down on five times in a row, for two weeks! At first I thought they were too busy to come but after declining my parents on purpose, I knew something was up. Obviously Felix and Sadie's parents come over. Dad never fails to amuse them both, even when the rest of their former co-workers don't show up. Strangest thing by the way. Whenever I asked mom and dad who were coming over, they don't mention their names. The same thing goes for Mr. and Mrs. TearDrop-Nerveling. Strange, isn't it?_

 _The week after, Sadie wasn't feeling well so she stayed home for two days. Felix and I wanted to stay with her but we knew we couldn't do that. Before a particular lunch break, Felix and I were in different classes. And while I searched for him before Angus beat me to it, I found myself hearing his voice in the music room. And I thought 'Is he singing?'_

 _He so was._

 _I listened to his soft voice the entire time, and I couldn't resist to just barge in and say 'WOW THAT SONG WAS AMAZING!' He went red for what seemed like ages! His lyrics were along the lines of: It's okay to be scared… and if you need me I'll be your friend… and we'll be together – together till the end. I've heard the song before, but it's not something I often listened to. And you know, sometimes I wish he sang for me… we could do a duet together if we wanted to! I pleaded for him to play and sing a song for me. He obliged, but the way he sang in front of me were more like stutters in a conversation. He then stops and says 'I'm like a burp in a symphony when I sing in front of other people.' That was the funniest thing I heard all day! But I assured him that we're best friends. That made him a little more confident than the day he first played his guitar in front of me. In the end, he offered to walk me home because his mom was busy taking care of Sadie and his dad was at work. It rained that night and we shared an umbrella together and he held me close like he was going to protect me from danger. Lightning… maybe? He's perfect. If only we danced in the rain that night. That would be awkward, but romantic. But I didn't want to risk all of us catching a cold just when Sadie was about to get better._

 _The next week after that started to get a lot easier! I got to learn more about my new school, about how everyone isn't as happy and optimistic as my former classmates. Guess what? I taught them how to be like me! I cheered up those who were upset, calmed down those who were frustrated, and helped those who needed help. It was great! Everyone started opening up to me. I began selling my products again to promote my nomination and more classmates started buying more and more from me! It was like I was earning their trust! Go me! Now all I have to do is make sure they like Felix and Sadie. Whenever they come in while I'm conversing with other kids, those kids just walk away upon their arrival. But I convinced them to come back and they started having small talk with Felix and Sadie! IT'S A MIRACLE! Felix and Sadie were actually talking to them! It was short lived but still! It's a start! I surely can't wait to do this everyday. I mean think about a school filled with nothing but happiness and positive vibes! A world without social boundaries between everyone and Felix and Sadie. I'm getting close to making everyone trust us. I could tell Desiree and Angus were displeased, so they did everything they can to make Felix and Sadie's lives miserable… and they tried different ways of blackmailing me with false accusations. Nice try, you two. Nice try. Like Felix, I will protect my friends with my life if I have to… even if I don't know how. But I have to try, try everything!_

 _That's it from me! This week is going to be fun I bet! The past couple of days went better than expected! Everyone was opening up to us, and they started talking to Felix and Sadie more! Of course, they were still too shy to talk back but I was there to help them out. Things were looking up to us since I received this necklace and diary. I think it just gave me more luck! I'll be bringing this necklace with me everywhere I go, and I won't be updating this diary until Prom. I showed Felix and Sadie what my necklace looked like. Sadie said the sparkles hurt her eyes, and Felix said it matches my eyes. I was guilty yet flattered!_

 _I gotta go. I'll be at Felix and Sadie's yet again for 'Scary Movie Night'. Last time we watched a scary movie, Felix covered both his eyes and ears and hid in a corner. He didn't want to be alone, but he didn't want to watch the movie with us either. Silly dork. Hopefully tonight he might be brave enough to watch the movie with us… and hopefully resist the urge to pee himself from all the jumpscares. But hey, whatever happens, me, Sadie, and their parents will always be there to give him a zillion comforting hugs._

 _~ Joy ~_

* * *

"Alright, guys, what're we watching this time?" Joy asked.

"We're watching… The Woman in Black. My personal favorite," Sadie announced.

"T-Th-The W-Wo-Woma-ma-" Before Felix could continue, his eyes rolled over and he fainted to the ground with his shoes coming off.

"Oooh… scary!" Joy chuckled.

The rest of their night went on with Sadie smiling throughout the movie, and Joy watching in fear and shock while stroking an unconscious Felix's hair soothingly, who by the way was resting on her lap.

Meanwhile, Desiree and Angus were having a sleepover at Desiree's place.

"I can't believe Joy. She's taking my votes away from me and she's actually doing it for them! UGH!" Desiree exasperated.

"Give it a rest. So what if they win? They don't seem to be harming anyone," Angus commented.

"Excuse me?! They're obviously deceiving them! You know what mom and dad said!" Desiree argued.

"I told you, I am not going to your silly family reunion party! I'd rather not come so will you stop bugging me?!" shouted a loud male voice as it got louder by stepping into the living room.

"Speaking of which… what is it now, dad?" Desiree wondered.

"Ugh, it's just an old friend of mine. He wouldn't stop bugging me and it's really frustrating! If he called Andy, he'd be deaf right about now," answered her father before leaving the room.

"What's with Desiderio?" Angus asked.

"He keeps getting invite calls from his old friend and former co-worker. As if I wanna know what the buzz is all about between them. I prefer not to go anyway. It's just a waste of time," Desiree answered.

"Strangest thing… My mom was getting called a lot," Angus informed.

"Angie? By whom?"

"Same as with your father but with her friend. Weird."

"Well never mind that! I need of a plan to make Joy feel inferior to me! I've tried everything: backstabbing, blackmailing, there's nothing humiliating about her! I know I don't want to do this, but the fact that she's doing it for Felix and Sadie has made me cross the line. She's better off without those two cheaters Angus!"

"I'm surprised they haven't moved yet. And wouldn't you believe that limp noodle has a thing for Tinkerbell? It's weird."

Angus' words echoed in Desiree's head. "That's it! Angus, I've got another blackmailing idea!"

"What'll you do to Joy this time?" Angus asked while rolling his eyes hopelessly.

"Not to Joy, to Felix! We're going to blackmail him to vote against Joy by using his feelings for her against him. And Joy will feel so betrayed, she'll call off the nominations, leave Felix and Sadie and come running to our side! It's brilliant!"

"Hmm… devious…. But I don't know. She'll feel betrayed because we'll make Felix betray her," Angus protested.

"…Have I ever told you that you were brilliant in helping me come up with the idea? And honey, we're not making Felix betray her. We're going to test his trust. If he betrays Joy, then that's proof that nobody should trust him or Sadie, and Joy will realize that we were right. And if he doesn't, then there's a slight chance that we could trust him BUT we'll need more evidence. We can't be too gullible."

"You kind of lost me halfway through… but I like the part where you called me 'brilliant'," said Angus.

"I know. For once you helped me out." And with those words, Angus' smile disappeared.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any snobbier," he grumbled to himself.

"Excuse me?" huffed Desiree. Angus said nothing and shook his head.

Desiree sighed. "Look… I know our relationship is currently in the rocks at the moment. But hey, we've been through worse! We've argued with each other more than any other couple and yet we're still together."

"Yeah, sure. But is that what you want?"

"No, but it's what you're so used to doing! You always drive me nuts, and not in always in a good way! You never showed me any signs of affection and you never told me why!" Desiree quarrelled.

"That's out of the question! I'm going to the bathroom," Angus yelled and walked out the living room.

"If you break my mirrors I'll shave your sideburns no matter how perfect they are!" Desiree threatened. Then she sighed to herself. She took a class photo of herself, Angus and everyone else before Joy came in. She then had a good long stare at Felix and Sadie, who were at the rightmost area sitting slightly further away from everyone else.

"Is it true what mom and dad said about you guys?" she asked herself. She returned the picture frame onto the table and took another photo with her and Angus in it. It was their first picture together since the day they started going out. A single tear rolled out of her eye and she wiped it away hastily. She placed the picture facedown and walked to her room without another word. 

* * *

**And that's the end of this chapter. I decided to add a touch of humor to Joy's diary entry... then it got emotional after that. I also updated the story by changing the chapter titles. It makes sense doesn't it? So yes, to all you Disgust and Anger fans, I don't mean to make them the antagonists but keep in mind that they're not really antagonists. In fact, no one's meant to be one. But at this stage, I know how frustrated you are with them. And keep your socks on for the next chapter because they will be knocked off! And yes, Desiree's plan will commence on the next chapter… how on earth will it go? Oh and keep an eye on Joy's necklace. That's a hint for spoilers! :D**

 **Stay tuned for an update and take care everyone!**


	11. Chapter 11: An Emotional Detention

**ATTENTION: THIS IS ANOTHER LONG CHAPTER!**

 **Hey fanfiction readers, and welcome to another update of my Inside Out AU! The last chapter escalated pretty quickly and here is everyone now… a month later. Prom is about another month or two away for these guys and even I'm dying to see how it goes… or how I write it. So, time to reply to some (redundant) reviews:**

 **Metherarto: Why thank you! It's been a thing of mine for ages now.**

 **VickyT36: Yup… it gets more intense here.**

 **Sh0ra: Haha thanks!**

 **Brickoli: I see! Well I'm glad I made your day. :D And yes, Desiree's plan is as devious as deviants on DeviantArt get.**

 **HollyAnne: Thanks!**

 **Ellena: Oh did you? I would like to see this poem one day!**

 **Guest: I shall**

 **Mlplovergirl500: You'll find out here.**

 **Ellena: Pff, I have no plan on letting Angus take Joy's diary.**

 **Sunny: You're pretty close to what I planned on writing actually. Well done!**

 **Guest: I shall**

 **ToyloverTeam: The wait is over for now!**

 **Ellena: Ah yeah.. I got a little mixed up with the names. I'll have to update that chapter eventually. ^^;**

 **D: Thanks!**

 **Guest x2: I shall**

 **Oh the redundancy. XD BUT YES, This chapter is long and pretty intense. There will be a roller coaster so buckle up your invisible seatbelts because you're in for a ride! If you didn't like it, well I would be happy to give you a full refund.**

* * *

"Get in the car, Desiree, we don't have all day!" Angus nagged. The young man's mother – Angie – offered to drive Desiree to school. Obviously Desiree was a little disappointed knowing her father couldn't drive her to school in his limo that day.

"Can't it wait?! My mom and I are searching for my lip gloss!" Desiree shouted back.

"Who searches for lip gloss anyway!? You've got tons of those!" Angus barked.

"I do! And you don't know what it's like to suffer without makeup!"

"Well then I'm glad I'm no girly girl like you are!" Anger yelled one last time before slumping back in his seat.

"You need to stop talking so loud! There are other people besides you, you know. And they don't want to wake up to an argument that they never got involved in," Angie scolded.

"You should talk," Angus mumbled.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing."

Back in Desiree's house, Diana found the lip gloss and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I can't believe your dating him, Desiree."

"I can't believe it either, mom. The only reason we started going out was because he treated me like I was special to him. I was the only girl he became infatuated with and now it's like we're in a battlefield trying to keep this relationship at bay!" Desiree ranted.

"Glad Desiderio and I weren't like that. The only time he irritated me was when he wouldn't stop making those stupid faces whenever he doesn't pay attention," Diana huffed. She placed the lip gloss in Desiree's bag and led her out the door. "Now go and have a good day."

"Would love to if Joy wouldn't stop getting in the way," Desiree scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"She's running against me for becoming Prom Queen so she could make everyone in school love Felix and Sadie! She's ruining the school with their distrust!" Disgust explained.

Diana shook her head. "Some people just like going for rotten apples I guess."

"But mom, what if they are trustworthy? What if we were bullying them this whole time and we didn't really know who they were in the first place? What if they're not who we think they are?" Desiree argued.

"I happen to know things more than you sweetheart. And until your father and I sort things out with those kids and their families, don't ever, ever trust them. Understand? The last thing I want is for people like them to poison your mind with deception. Now go," explained Diana.

Desiree's shoulders drooped. "Yes, mom." The two gave each other a goodbye kiss and Desiree entered the car.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Angie!" Diana called.

"Don't worry about it," grumbled Angie.

"It's about time!" Angus snapped.

"I don't want to hear another word from you so zip it!" Desiree snapped back.

"BOTH of you zip it!" Angie shouted and the car was off, taking the negative vibe along with it. Diana watched them leave and Desiderio came to the doorway with her.

"Did Jay call again?" Diana spoke while not looking at her husband.

"The guy's a little too desperate for a family reunion. Something's up I can feel it," Desiderio answered.

"We should go," said Diana.

"Hon, look, I gotta go to work and we don't really seem to have time for-"

"Then make time! I want to get this over and done with."

"What about Angie? She's been getting calls from Jo all week and she also keeps saying no," Desiderio argued.

"If we go, they will follow. Who knows, this might be the perfect opportunity to figure out just why on earth Fred and Samantha are together," Diana muttered angrily.

"I do not want to see those two again, Di!" Desiderio warned sternly.

"I do because I care! I know we're not friends anymore but I miss them. And who knows? Maybe this is all just some big misunderstanding. It wouldn't hurt to go," Diana thought.

Desiderio sighed. He couldn't disagree with her. She was always right! Or so he thought. "Fine. We'll go. But I wouldn't let Jay and Jo expect us to enjoy it." He unlocked his phone once more. "I'll call Andy."

Meanwhile, Desiree unlocked her phone and began texting on it. Strangely, it was to Angus, who was sitting right next to her. Angus grabbed his phone and much to his confusion saw Desiree texting him. Knowing his mother will become suspicious if he said anything, he texted her back. On that text, it said:

 _You ready?_

* * *

Joy and Felix headed to school by foot, talking about school, home, and several ways on how to make Sadie feel better. Felix had an umbrella in his hand after observing the grey clouds in the sky and his back was slightly arched downward after carrying two things behind him.

"I can't believe you're making me bring my guitar, Joy," sighed Felix.

"I'm sorry… I really like the way you play it. And I want to hear you sing again," Joy admitted.

"No, no, and no. I'll play but I won't sing. Get that in your head," Felix declined.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind if I take this—" said Joy as she snatched Felix's umbrella and skipped to the school gates with celerity.

"Hey!" yelped Felix.

" – And sing in the rain while you either sing along or chase me!" Joy laughed and continued to skip across the small puddles.

"I'd rather chase," Felix told himself before running after Joy. "And it's not even raining!" he added. Their morning was filled with laughter and endlessly chasing each other around the front yard. Felix finally gained more speed than Joy and surprised her by catching her from behind. The girl shrieked with surprise and laughed while Felix chuckled in return.

"Okay, you got me now put me down!" Joy laughed.

"Not until you give me back my umbrella!" Felix laughed back.

"No way! You still owe me a song," Joy countered.

"Not happening!" Just when Joy thought she was being released, Felix began to tickle her again, making her laugh boisterously. Knowing she was distracted, he finally took his umbrella back from her.

"You're good," Joy panted.

"I learned from the best." Felix winked, causing Joy to blush and giggle.

"There you guys are!" called a voice that came out of the school doors.

"Mr. Bing! Hello!" greeted Joy.

"I overheard your voices and I couldn't help but watch that adorable display of romance outside the classroom window," Bing informed.

"R-romantic display!?" Felix stammered.

"Yeah! Say, are you two… dating? Is there something I don't know about between you two?" Bing teased.

"Dating? What're you talking about?" Joy stammered.

"W-We're not dating. We're just friends and nothing more," Felix added.

"Sure, sure. I'll pretend I believe you. Anyway, Principal Raine extended my shift so today I'll be working for the entire afternoon! Isn't it great? Say where's Sadie?" Bing pondered.

"Sadie's still sick. I'd do anything to take her cold away," Felix answered sadly.

"Staying home wasn't a good option," Joy added.

"Aw, bummer! I was looking forward to hanging out with her today," Bing complained.

"We feel you… but don't fret, she'll be back tomorrow and we're still here!" assured Joy.

"You really think that she'll return tomorrow?"

"Of course she will. She's got a pretty strong immune system," said Felix.

"Really?" Bing and Joy said altogether.

Felix shrugged. "Sure. She may have very sensitive emotions, but her physical health is way over the top compared to mine."

"You sure know a lot about each other," Bing commented. Then he checked his watch. "Oh, look at the time? I need to go clean the restrooms at this hour. I'll see you later!"

"Bye Mr. Bing!" said Joy. Then she turned to her friend. "So… maths?"

Felix nodded. "Maths."

* * *

Several hours have passed. Angus caught Felix keeping his guitar in his locker… and struggling at it. Now was his chance. Felix grunted as he tried to push his guitar in. After some time, he closed his locker and locked it.

"What's with the guitar, beanpole?" Angus began.

Felix shrieked at his voice and jumped slightly. "A-Angus!? W-what do you want?"

"I want you to do me a favor you can't refuse. Because if you refuse… well, you know what consequences there will be," he threatened while cracking his knuckles and neck. Felix gulped and stepped back. Angus only stepped closer.

"If this is about trying to hurt Joy or Sadie in any way, then I won't do it!" Felix shouted. Then Angus grabbed his neck and brought him to his height.

"Listen here you! You're going to do exactly what I say whether you like it or not!" Angus threatened. "I need you to vote against Joy as Prom Queen or whatever it's called!"

"And destroy our friendship by betraying her? Never!" choked Felix.

"Oh… then… don't bother voting at all!" Angus shouted and raised his fist. Felix closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. But before Angus could hit him, Joy stepped in just in time.

"STOP!" she said as she pushed Angus away from him, causing him to release Felix. Joy helped him up and he started coughing from the scene.

"How dare you try to choke him like that!? Haven't you had enough of him already?!" Joy cried.

"What's going on here?" Desiree stepped in. Joy snared at her and sensed a fake concerning tone in her voice.

"If you're here… to pick on Sadie… then don't bother. She's sick, sick of you especially!" Felix coughed. Joy hushed him and stepped forward to Desiree.

"I overheard what Angus said. And I would like to inform you Felix is not deceitful, and he can never go against me," Joy informed sternly

"Don't you get it Joy?! He's playing you! And he will betray you on the first chance he gets!" Desiree cried.

"You don't know Felix like I do, Desiree!"

"You only know what he wants you to know!"

"Enough, Joy! You know what? Fine, FINE! If you want your mind to be poisoned by the likes of him, then go ahead! I'm trying to save you, Joy, because you don't deserve to even look at those traitors!" Desiree snapped.

"Take back what you said about them…" she heard Joy growl. Felix froze in fear. He never saw Joy get angry before. Even Desiree and Angus were slightly shocked.

"You heard me! And who cares if Sadie is absent? Heck, good riddance if she is! She doesn't and never will belong here. That negative influence she has on her was never supposed to be welcomed here! She doesn't deserve to be here! And him? Don't make me laugh. And please don't tell me you're in love with a weird, nerdy coward like him! You're better than that! But no, you just can't see that can you? Can you!? And guess what else? You will never influence anyone in this school to be like you! Never!" Desiree continued.

"If you really think my mind was poisoned, then you're wrong! In fact, I feel more enlightened when I'm around these two! Sure, I had concerns with them at first, being outcasts and all, but at least I understood why. It was YOU who poisoned the minds of EVERYONE in school into thinking these two don't deserve any respect because you thought they can't be trusted. You don't even know them! You even poisoned your _boyfriend's_ mind for goodness' sakes! If your job was to prevent everyone from becoming a bad influence, then guess what? You failed at your job! Instead of keeping everyone's minds from being poisoned, you are the one poisoning their minds with all these lies about my friends! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Joy snapped.

Desiree had her head down to the floor, body trembling, hands formed into fists. From Angus' point of view he could tell she was mad. And so she was.

"TAKE IT BACK!" she yelled. With that, she opened her hand and swatted it across Joy's face. Felix gasped in horror at the sight, and Angus was shocked. Joy started to feel what she felt: anger. That's when she immediately struck back at Desiree. Felix drew himself back as he watched Joy and Desiree hitting and even scratching each other. Angus thought he was going to enjoy this, but to him it just didn't seem right anymore. Janitor Bing caught sight of the incident.

"What's happening!?" he asked worriedly.

"Quick! Go get Principal Raine before this gets out of control! I got to try to stop this," Felix ordered.

"Roger that!" Bing said as he ran his way past the bewildered students. Students who were in the area caught sight of the incident. Some tried to stay out of it by walking straight past them, while others watched with anticipation. A few students were even recording the incident on their phones. Felix saw this and mustered up his courage and stepped in to break Joy away from Desiree.

"Stop, you two! I can't have you fighting in front of other kids!" Felix begged.

Angus started to grow the same worry as Felix did and went over to Desiree's side. "You're going too far, Des, stop!" he yelled.

The fight only lasted a few minutes. It finally got to the point where Desiree unknowingly slapped Joy's necklace away. The necklace went flying until it fell through the hole of the school drain. Even Desiree gasped after what she did.

"NO!" Joy cried. She pulled herself away from Desiree and headed for the drain. It was too late. Her necklace was gone. Everything that's happened since her first day started to overwhelm Joy and she immediately broke down sobbing. Felix ran and knelt down to her. He wanted to hold her but he was afraid she might snap at him.

"Joy…" Felix muttered.

"What's going on here?!" Raine shouted while getting through the group of students. Bing was right behind her, and held the same fear Felix held for Joy.

 _It's about time!_ Angus thought.

"I want all four of you to meet me in my office now!" Raine ordered.

* * *

"I am very disappointed in you, all of you. And I expected a lot better from you people, especially you, Joy. And Felix, out of all the time you spent here I have never seen you get in trouble before," scolded the principal.

"Please don't blame, Felix. He had nothing to do with any of this. I'm the one who escalated it all," Joy confessed. Desiree looked at her painfully.

"Is there anything you would like to add to your set of arguments, Desiree?" Raine questioned. Before Desiree could answer, a knock on the door was heard.

"We came as soon as you called Ms. Raine." It was Diana and Desiderio, Desiree's parents.

"Greetings Mr. and Mrs. Greene. I came to inform you that your daughter will be facing detention by the end of the day," Raine informed.

"No she will not," Diana spoke back. "We will be the ones to have a word with her," she continued while shooting a glare at Desiree.

"I'm afraid that's not how it works here, Mrs. Greene," Raine said calmly.

Desiderio brought out his wallet and gave several bills to the principal, which surprised Joy and Felix. "It will for us. You'll be glad to know that we're a very busy family and we do not have enough time to deal with matters such as this. I paid for both Desiree and Angus and we will be taking them home with us," he said.

"I'm not going with you," Angus growled.

"Yes you are!" Desiderio said, his voice rising at every word. "Your father called me to fetch you because he could not stand hearing the call your principal has made to him. Now get your belongings and come with us!"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady," Diana hissed.

Desiree said nothing and exited the room followed by Angus.

"I do not want to be in their shoes right now," Felix mumbled.

"Neither do I," agreed Joy. _Did Desiree's parents just bribe Principal Raine…?_ She thought.

"As for you two," Raine interrupted. "I called your parents. Certainly they aren't happy about what they heard from me and they won't be coming here to fetch you two until detention is over."

The door opened once more and a man came in. He was practically overweight, probably more overweight than Bing, and he wore a business suit. Joy looked at him blankly while Felix gulped in fear.

"This here is Mr. Joe and he will be in charge of your detention class," said Raine.

"And just what do we do in detention?" Joy asked quietly.

"Easy. You are NOT to talk. You are NOT to do anything fun. And you are to just sit there quietly, do something productive, and maybe think about what you did, or there will be consequences! Am I understood!?" Joe shouted.

Felix shrieked and hid behind Joy.

"C-Crystal," he stammered.

"Good, now follow me and I'll show you where your classroom will be."

* * *

Sam slowly put down the phone and cried softly on her chair. Sadie, who was already feeling better, walked up to her mother and offered her a hug.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"It's your brother… and your friend, Joy."

"W-What happened?" Sadie asked worriedly.

"Apparently… Joy and Desiree fought against one another. Felix nearly got choked to death by Angus and now Felix and Joy are in detention," Sam sobbed.

"No…" mumbled Sadie. She too felt tears stream down her cheeks. Then she jumped off the sofa and pulled her mom's hand.

"We have to get them right now!" Sadie cried.

"Honey, you're still sick…" reminded Sam.

"I don't care! Joy's my friend! And that's my brother Angus tried to kill out there! I want them to come home," Sadie begged. Sam sighed. She wanted to call Fred, but she didn't want him to worry and rush from work to school. That was the last thing she wanted him to do: rush. She reluctantly got off the sofa and wiped her tears away.

"Where are my keys?"

* * *

The rest of the afternoon went on quietly. Joy hung her head down at her desk, trying to think of something to do. She did all her homework, she studied in advanced, all she wanted to do now was either talk to Felix or retrieve her necklace from that drain. She struggled not to let tears fall. After all that hard work, she thought she chose the surest road. But that road led her, and Felix, here to detention. She and Felix couldn't help but be happy knowing Sadie wasn't with them. After checking a few papers, Joe got off his chair and headed for the door.

"I'll be leaving for a while to speak to a few students. And don't even think about trying to ditch this class," Joe warned before exiting the room. Felix watched him walk as far as possible. Once he was gone, he immediately moved from the back of the room to the front, where Joy sat.

"Okay, he's gone for now," he muttered. Then he looked at Joy with concern. "Joy… hey…"

She said nothing. She didn't even look at him.

"Joy… you're not mad at me or anything are you?" he asked. Joy looked at him with confusion.

"Mad? At you? No, of course not," she answered instantly.

"Ah, phew, for a second there I –"

"Can I ask you something?"

Felix remained silent and answered. "Sure, Joy. Anything."

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

Felix furrowed his eyebrows slightly. Though he knew what she was talking about. "Of course I trust you. I always have! I don't know why, but you gained my trust quicker than anybody else in this school besides Sadie! You're that special to me, Joy," he answered. "And I clearly don't understand why Desiree and Angus accuse Sadie and I of being untrustworthy! It's like they know something we don't know about. But, listen to me, Joy: I trust you… with my life even! I would save you from a burning building, o-or some kind of burglary if I had to! That's how much I care about you."

"Thanks… and I trust you too. A lot actually," Joy huffed. "And Desiree was right. How can I make anyone change? How can I make everyone become just as happy and positive as I am? I'm sure she's done it before!"

"That's the thing, Joy, you can't," Felix admitted.

"What?" Joy asked almost angrily.

"L-Let me finish! You can't make everyone change to be like you, not even Desiree can do that! I once saw her try to make a group of girls hate broccoli or act sassy like her, but did any of them listen? Of course not!"

"Your point is…?"

"I'm saying… well my dad always told me, you can't change a person into someone their not. You can't make everyone become like you, not even me and Sadie. And one thing my dad also said: 'what's the point of being unique if you're trying to blend in with everyone else?' Joy, you're you and you're special that way. People can be happy and optimistic like you, but they're not always like that.

"And being different, being… special, will help you find your true purpose in life! Take me for example. I'm a coward. I am weak. And I am always afraid of almost everything basically. And the one thing I fear the most is seeing the ones I love get hurt? And when I see them get hurt, what do I do? I protect them of course! That's my purpose. It has been a purpose for my generation and it has been passed down to me. So, what's your purpose in life? What are your emotions trying to teach you?" Felix explained.

"I… I don't really know at this point," said Joy.

Felix frowned incredulously. "I think you found your purpose. You just have trouble seeing it. That's the same problem I had with Sadie. She was able to discover it herself right away." **(A.N. Oh the irony of it all…)**

"That is one smart girl," Joy chuckled.

"You know she is! Don't worry, you'll find yours soon enough. Well technically you did find it, you just didn't realize it yet," said Felix.

"How would you know that?"

"I just know based on how you treat Sadie and I. You'll get there," Felix promised. He ushered Joy to hug him, which she did. Joy rested her head on his chest and sniffed slightly.

"I lost my necklace…. I don't think I'll ever get it back. I mean I know it sounds crazy but I felt lucky wearing it. I'm afraid that without it I, alone, may not be able to let everyone trust you and Sadie," Joy whispered shakily.

Felix sighed and ended the hug. He reached for his bag and brought out a yellow piece of paper. Then he used his scissors to cut a strip of the paper and folded it, forming into the shape of a star. Then he took out a long, purple, swirly thread from his bag and unwound it. He gently poked a couple of holes through one side of the star and inserted the thread right through it. Then he took the piece, placed both arms around Joy's neck and tied both ends of the thread together, with the star facing the front.

Joy blushed and looked at what he made for her. "That's an origami star attached to a thread," she giggled.

"No, it's not! It's luck. It's trying to tell you that you're strong, independent, confident, and beautiful inside and out who's willing to make a change in our school by showing everyone just how special she really is and how trustworthy Sadie and I really are! You gave me hope that Sadie and I won't spend our last year of high school in the shadow, but in the light… with you. So don't give up hope, just when we gained ours," encouraged Felix.

"Felix… I… I don't know what to say," said Joy.

"Don't worry. I know what it's like to be rendered speechless. It happens all the time. And besides, you don't need a necklace to get everyone's attention. All you need is you."

Rather than saying anything else, Joy threw her arms around him once more. "Thank you, Felix," she whispered. Breaking from the hug, she blankly said, "No, really, my mom will be very upset when she finds out what happened to it. Plus I need it to open my diary."

"You have a diary?"

"Yeah… this necklace came with it and it was the key to open the diary. So much for writing another entry," slumped Joy.

"Don't worry… with luck we might be able to find it another day. By the way, even though Mr. Joe scares me, I cannot take his surname seriously," joked Felix.

"What do you mean?"

"His full name is… Joe Jangles," Felix spat out before laughing out loud. Joy palmed her head and laughed just as hard as he did.

"This might seem crazy, but this was the best first detention I've ever had," Joy laughed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree. Plus if you think about it, we didn't really deserve it."

"Yeah. Man, I thought you were going to faint when we got sent here," said Joy.

"I thought I was too. But with you around, I've got no reason to faint. Unless of course if we're watching a horror movie together."

Joy giggled. "Right."

The couple remained silent for a few moments before a pair of footsteps slowly started echoing against the hallway. Felix flinched, grabbed his bag, and rushed back to his seat at the backmost row of the room. Joy stayed in her seat and continued to stare down at the craft Felix made for her.

"I'm back. And it seems that your parents are here to pick you up," Joe announced.

"Oh, great!" Joy exclaimed.

Joe moved himself out the doorway, and Jay and Jolie stepped in.

"Hey, sport," greeted Jay.

"Dad!" Joy ran to her parents and hugged them. "I'm not in trouble am I?"

"Yes… yes you are," Jay said in a rather fake stern tone. Then he leaned in and whispered. "Actually we were a little shocked when your principal said you 'lost it' at Desiree, but other than that we're not really mad at you."

"We would like to take her home with us now," said Jolie.

"Thanks for taking care of Joy. We tried calling your parents but they said they wouldn't make it," said Jay. Felix frowned.

"Nah, I'm just kidding! We offered to give them a ride with us," said Jay. Jolie and Joy laughed at his silly joke. In came Sam and Sadie, but Freddie didn't appear to be with them.

"Felix!" Sadie cried as she ran to her brother.

"Sadie?! Why aren't you in bed?" Felix asked worriedly while giving her a hug.

"I'm not ten anymore," Sadie deadpanned.

"Hey mom," Felix greeted almost casually.

"Oh, thank goodness you didn't faint! I called your father while he was on his way home, and now he's on his way here to pick us up," Sam informed.

"Oh… dad's not going to kill me is he?"

"No, I don't think so. I told him everything and he was more concerned than angry."

"I ran into Janitor Bing before he left. He gave me a hug goodbye," said Sadie.

"Uh oh… I hope he doesn't call in sick the next day," Felix muttered. Everyone suddenly heard running footsteps and a familiar face entered the room.

"I came here… as soon… as Sam called," Freddie panted.

"You didn't rush your way here again did you?" Sam questioned suspiciously.

"No, but I did rush here on foot. Come on, I'm driving you home," said Freddie.

"I'm not dead am I?" Felix stuttered

"No… but I do want to have a word with you."

"Late again, are we Fred?" Jay laughed.

"Ha, ha," Freddie laughed sarcastically. Then he turned to Joy and asked, "How's it going, Joy?"

"Good, sir. Your son has a way with words you know," said Joy.

"Doesn't he always? He usually talks like that in front of the girl he likes," Freddie teased, causing Joy to blush.

"OKAY LET'S GO HOME," Felix shouted as he held Sadie's hand and went out the door. The Starlight family couldn't help but laugh at how red the poor young Nerveling's face was.

"Alright, we should get going. Have they answered yet?" Sam asked to Jolie.

"Yup! They finally said yes. We're in luck!" Jolie exclaimed.

"Well, you are anyway. I just hope we are too. Have a good night you all!" farewelled Freddie. The Starlight family followed behind but exited on a different route.

Jolie stared at Joy's neck and noticed something different. "Sweetheart, where's the necklace?" she asked.

"Yeah… about that… I lost it," Joy hesitantly confessed.

"What? How?"

"Desiree…"

"Is that why you lashed out at her?" Jay questioned.

"Not really. She said some mean things about my friends, so I was forced to give her a piece of my mind," said Joy.

"Don't ever get used to that, young lady," warned Jolie.

"I won't. I promise."

"Did Felix make you that necklace?" Jay asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Joy answered softly.

"Aw, how cute! I didn't know he was good at arts and crafts," Jolie complimented.

"I didn't know either. It's just as surprising as when I found out he could play the guitar and maybe sing a little," Joy informed.

"I know! We were shocked ourselves!" Jay laughed. "That Felix is a keeper. Maybe when you finish college, I can allow you two to start dating each other."

"Dad, no!" Joy denied while feeling her cheeks burn.

"He's got a point. Focus on your studies first," Jolie added.

"Of course I will! I always have."

Meanwhile, Felix and Sadie walked along the empty hallways and discovered a light coming from the drain. Felix gasped and ran towards it.

"Joy's necklace!" Felix exclaimed.

"What? How did it get down there?!" Sadie asked.

"It's kind of a long story. Quick, help me pull this out!" Felix inserted his fingers into the drain and tried to pull it out. Sadie helped by going behind Felix and pulling him from there. With enough force and strength, they finally managed to open the drain. Being thankful for his lankiness, Felix inserted his arm into the drain and tried to reach for a familiar item. Upon touching what he felt was a piece of jewellery and a string, he immediately grabbed and pulled it out of the drain.

"I got it!" Felix exclaimed incredulously.

"Hurray for lanky Felix," Sadie cheered gloomily.

"What are you doing by the drain?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, after the fight, Joy lost her necklace and Sadie and I got it out," Felix explained.

"Great, now you need to explain and have a shower. Get up, we need to get home before it gets dark," Freddie ordered.

"So, when will you give it back to her?" Sadie asked.

"I'll just have it washed carefully and I'll give it to her by tomorrow," Felix planned.

The rest of the night became restless for everyone. Explanations were given, punishments were made, and announcements were... announced. The big family reunion has finally been planned on the upcoming weekend, and everyone slept on it dreaming on how it would go once the day arrives.

* * *

 **Oh…. Drama, drama, drama… I sure wonder how this family reunion will go. And the worst part is, even the kids will get involved in this! So here are the questions I've been thinking of:**

 **What have Desiree and Angus been feeling since that incident you just visioned?**

 **When on this darn AU will Angus' dad appear? And what intentions does he have on his former assistant manager, Freddie?**

 **How will this family reunion go? Will someone get hurt? I sure hope not.**

 **Will Felix ever give Joy's necklace back? Or will he be an idiot and forget to give it to her everyday?**

 **Why did Joy try to defend Desiree and Angus by taking the blame on herself?**

 **Oooooh the suspense. And what's in store for these characters now? Find out soon! I sincerely apologize to all you Disgust and Anger fans. Things will get better for them, I promise! I love all Inside Out characters too much to make anyone the villain. And Jangles... wow, what a way to make a first appearance! There's so much irony in this chapter it's hilarious. And why is his name Joe? Fun fact! Jangles the Clown was inspired by this guy named Joe Ranft, an old friend of the Pixar employees who occasionally dresses up as a clown. I got this fact from the wikia decided to use the name. It seemed so fitting.**

 **And thank you for supporting this AU! It really means a lot to me. Peace out my homies and have a cookie!**


	12. Chapter 12: An Emotional Family Reunion

**ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT HERE IT IS! THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR… I think. Warning, this is another long chapter. And it's the longest chapter of the story so far. If I kept you waiting this long, then I'll write a lengthy chapter to make up for it. If you listen closely you can hear me sobbing. I won't say anymore and let you read this chapter right away. (Replies to reviews are written below).**

* * *

Joy remained seated on the side of her bed and looked to the locked diary sitting on her lap solemnly. How strange. She never behaved like this before… ever. Not for the remainder of the week. She forced a smile throughout the rest of the week, just before the weekend arrived. Joy nearly forgot how 'special' this week was going to be. Her necklace was gone. Despite holding onto it for only a few days, she felt as if she held onto it for a year – give or take.

Jay and Jolie enthusiastically welcomed the Teardrop-Nerveling family into their home and awaited more guests. Everything was set out in their backyard: a decorated dining table with snacks and drinks on it just a few yards in front of their medium sized greenhouse. That's right. The Starlights have a greenhouse… and a mini stage that hasn't been used in the past decade.

"It's been so long since I've been here. I'd say twenty years or so," Freddie sighed.

"Hey, hey, Fred, remember that time where I startled you on stage and you got so scared you jumped and fell off?" Jay laughed.

"You're such a child sometimes," Jolie sighed, rolling her eyes.

Freddie snared, but somewhere he felt like laughing like an idiot. "Yeah, I nearly broke my arm. You're lucky that stage was only four feet high, otherwise I would've slammed my guitar on your head with my good arm," he scowled.

"You did what, dad!?" Felix shouted.

"Oh don't worry, son. That was ages ago."

"Is that why you quit playing the guitar?"

"Of course not. If that was the reason then I wouldn't have taught you how to play the guitar in the first place," Freddie explained. "My arm has never been better since the day I came out of the hospital. And don't worry, I've been through worse."

"WORSE!?"

"Alright, you two, why don't you go find Joy and leave us to our 'discussion'," Sam suggested. Freddie smirked in response.

"Will do, mom," Sadie replied while pushing a bewildered Felix away from the crowd.

"Sadie, don't get me wrong but I think mom and dad are hiding something from us," Felix whispered.

"I know, but I don't want to think about it. I don't want my day to be ruined. The rest of the week was already ruined because Joy wasn't feeling okay. You never told me what happened, Felix. You remained silent for the last few days. Tell me something I don't know," Sadie whined.

"Long story… Desiree was being a prick and made Joy lose her- oh…" Felix paled.

"What?"

Felix ran his hands over his vest and the pockets of his pants. "Oh no… oh no!"

Sadie got the idea and stared at him blankly. "You forgot it again didn't you?"

"Why didn't you remind me!?" Felix hissed.

"Hey, I play no part in this. She's _your_ Joy," said Sadie. "Plus I also forgot," she admitted.

"Oh!" Felix exclaimed, palming his face. "Perfect, just perfect!"

Sadie took Felix's hand and pulled. "Let's go see Joy. I'm sure that'll make you feel better."

"How is seeing the girl whose necklace I forgot going to make me feel better?" Felix whispered.

"I've got two good reasons. Should I name one?"

"Fine. Just one."

"She doesn't know," Sadie whispered.

Felix blinked a few times and unwittingly waited for her to continue.

"And you love her."

"I ONLY ASKED FOR ONE REASON!" Felix snapped.

Sadie looked unthreatened and left. "I'll meet you outside."

"Sadie, I'm sorry!" Felix cried.

"For what?"

"Everything!"

"Seriously? Don't be. I'll leave you to talk to Joy. I need a snack to calm down," Sadie spoke, her voice fading through the door.

"Great idea. I'll join you later." Felix continued to wander around the home. It had a bright aura to it. The moment he walked in he suddenly felt happy – that is until his dad started rambling about previous incidents and the fact that he forgot the necklace… again. He explored the house in search for Joy. It wasn't long until he came across a door with a star-shaped sign that said:

 _'Be Joyful!'_

'I'm curious now,' he thought. Hesitant, he adjusted his bowtie and knocked twice.

Joy stared at her diary for what felt like hours. The cover was slightly drenched and worsened as she smudged the dampness across the title of the book. She let out a quiet sniff and allowed herself to cry softly in peace. She couldn't be sure if it was puberty kicking in again, or if she somehow changed ever since she transferred school. She imagined everyone in her old school. She blended in pretty well into the sunny yellow background. Everyone loved each other, loved her. She loved them, but to what extent? They kept coming and going. They never saw right through her when she was the slightest bit upset, have they? It didn't matter as it only made her whimper more.

Then she heard a knock.

"Joy? Are you in here?"

Joy gasped at the unfamiliar voice that wasn't her parents'. She hid the diary underneath her bed and hastily wiped her face. "Felix?"

"Yeah, it's me," he muffled from behind the door. "Can I come in?"

She didn't answer. Not for a while. Felix faced his ear to the door and gently stroked the doorknob as seconds passed.

"Joy?"

"In a minute," Joy finally answered. Before a minute passed, she pulled the door open, causing Felix to lean forward since he still held onto the doorknob. Joy yelped and caught the Nerveling before he fell. She helped him up.

"What're you doing?" she chuckled.

Felix swatted his vest and scratched his head after pulling himself away. "O-oh I got worried when you didn't answer so I had to lean against the door and – yeah… so that happened. Pardon me for being inept," he stuttered.

"I won't blame you," Joy half forced a smile. How could she _force_ a smile in front of him? "What're you doing here?"

"Family reunion, parents, meeting, declined invitations, sound familiar?" Felix chuckled.

"A-ah, of course! Sorry," Joy muttered.

"Sorry for what?" Felix shrugged.

"Oh, nothing! Forget about it. Let's go see Sadie and the others." Before Joy could leave, a hand on her shoulder stopped her

"Joy, are you okay?" Felix asked.

"Okay? Yeah I'm fine! Why wouldn't I-"

"Liar," Felix interrupted, his arms crossed.

"Excuse me?"

"You said you're okay, right? I'm not buying it."

"What're you talking about? Felix, don't worry. I'm totally excited for today," Joy denied.

"Liar," Felix said again, in the same monotonous voice.

"Felix I'm—"

"Not fine. Tell me what's wrong," Felix finished for her.

"Nothing is-"

"Fine. I don't like seeing you like this," Felix interrupted once more.

"But I'm—"

"Upset."

"Stop finishing my-"

"Sentences? I'm not going to stop until you tell me what's going on," Felix pleaded sternly.

"What do you know? It's not like you can see through me," Joy said, her voice shaking.

Felix sighed and shook his head. His arms were still crossed. "Joy, I've been raised with Sadie for as long as I can remember."

"Your point is?"

"She thought me how to see through people – how to find their hidden emotions. You on the other hand tend to bottle up your emotions way too much. You can't stay happy forever you know? What I'm saying is, I don't want you hiding your feelings from me – from us! We care about you Joy, and we can see through that smile of yours. Most of the time I believed you were happy, but now… all I feel is your pain. And I want to be there to take it away from you, even when I don't know how," Felix explained.

"I… I don't want to make you worry. I didn't want to make anyone worry. I never wanted any trouble. I never wanted to accept any of this. I just want to be happy, okay? I just want everyone to be happy," Joy whimpered.

Felix pulled her in for an embrace. "I appreciate what you do for us, Joy. I really do. But you can't always pull off a smile to please everyone. If you have something to say then say it! At this point I don't care if you hurt someone who deserves it. Just don't hurt yourself anymore."

"I'm really glad I met you." It was all she said. It was enough for the Nerveling.

"By the way…" he began. "Can I say something silly?"

"Yes?"

"Hi guys," Sadie greeted as she poked her head through the door.

"Sadie, hey!" Joy greeted back with a hug. Felix flicked his head and sighed in relief. Oh, Sadie, you're a lifesaver.

"Felix was taking too long to get you so I thought I'd stop by. I hope you're feeling okay," Sadie muttered.

"Do I need to know how you knew that?" Joy smiled sadly.

"I'm pretty sure I heard Felix explain it all. We're here for you, Joy. Just like you were always there for us," Sadie assured. Joy smiled and hugged her tighter.

"I'll go get us some cookies. I found some when I went to the backyard so maybe those'll cheer you up," said Sadie.

"Are they oreos?" Joy asked excitedly.

"Yes?"

"I could definitely use some!"

"I'll be right back." And she left the room again. Awkward silence ensued. Out of the blue, Felix glanced at Joy's neck and looked away.

"So… where's the necklace I gave you?" Felix asked sheepishly. A shy smile crept up on his face.

"Oh, that. I kept it away," Joy answered.

His smile faded. "Why? You don't like it?"

"N-No! I do, I promise! I just… I don't want to lose it like I did with my first necklace. It really means a lot to me so I kept it in a small chest. I keep all my precious valuables in there," Joy explained.

Felix blushed and chuckled. "I… I'm glad you like it." Then a wave of guilt washed over him once again. He should probably tell her shouldn't he?

"Joy, about—"

Before he could continue, Sadie's scream was echoed throughout the room. Her voice became louder and she entered into the open room.

"Sadie! What's wrong?!" Joy asked while holding her firmly.

"I can't let you two get out there!" Sadie cried.

"Why not?" Felix asked worriedly. "Is there a burglar in the house!?"

"No, it's worse!" Sadie bawled.

"I need to see this," Joy spoke bravely. Felix came before her and stopped her.

"No, I'll handle this. Just stay behind me," Felix said.

"Don't, Felix! He'll hurt you! _They'll_ hurt you!" Sadie begged while tugging his arm.

"They? What do you mean 'they'!?"

* * *

"Welcome Desiderio! It's been so long since we've spoken," Jay greeted and allowed their entry.

"Actually, it's been two days," Desiderio deadpanned.

"Really? Because it felt like two years to me!" Jay joked. The Greene wasn't pleased. Jay laughed awkwardly and punched his shoulder lightly. "I'm just messing with you. For old time's sake!"

"Yeah, remind me to forget the 'old times' we had, otherwise I might as well hit my head and end up in the hospital," Desiderio spat dryly.

"Don't jinx yourself," Jolie warned and caught sight of a former co-worker. "Diana, hey!"

"Hello, Jolie. Forgive him, he's not looking forward to this reunion. How respectful of you dear," Diana snarled.

"Don't expect me to be in a good mood, Di. I am still disappointed at Desiree for the trouble she caused me," Desiderio huffed.

"The trouble she caused or the money she forced you to pay?" Diana corrected angrily.

"Well – both!"

"Uh, hello? I'm right here," Desiree called irritably.

"Zip it, young lady, I did not ask you to talk to me yet," Desiderio chided. Desiree groaned and rolled her eyes. Then she stomped ahead in search for the backyard. She ignored the looks the Starlights gave her. Upon reaching the living room, she saw a familiar figure standing before her. They stared at each other.

"Are you serious?" Desiree said to herself, frozen in shock. Sadie dropped the cookie she once ate and ran past her, screaming. She wanted to chase her. She felt like talking trash to her like she always did, but something inside of her wanted to say something else. The past few days, all she thought about was her, Joy and Felix. Those same words crawled into her head. _Are they really what my parents said they would be? Are they really worth untrusting for?_ She couldn't think of a reason to insult Sadie anymore, nor did she think of caring.

"Guys, let's not let tempers flare. We both know that's not our job," Jay said while trying to crack a smile.

"Save the false happiness for our dismissal, Starlight. I want this over and done with," Desiderio said and walked past him. Upon reaching the living room, he couldn't believe his eyes. Emerald green eyes gazed against pale lavender ones.

"You've got to be kidding me," he sighed.

"What's the matter?" Diana asked before making the same expression. "Sam?!"

"Diana! I need to talk to you," Sam pleaded.

"Jolie, what are they doing here?" Diana asked sternly.

Jolie felt Goosebumps. But she tried to act brave. "I invited them here. Jay and I invited them here."

"Invited them? To what? To rub into our faces the fact that you betrayed us for them!?" Diana snapped.

"We didn't betray you, Di. We never did! We want you to understand that—"

"Oh I understand enough," Desiderio interjected. "We are out of here. Thanks a lot, Jay. Desiree!" he called.

"Desiderio wait!" Jay called.

"No, no you don't understand," Freddie stepped in

"I thought we made a deal that we never speak to each other again," Desiderio reminded.

"Well guess what? I never agreed to it! And the one thing I want to do now is to make you understand the pain Sam and I went through," Freddie announced.

"You and Sam? You and Sam?! Is that all you care about? Each other?! What about Salome? Huh? Or Fiona? Have you ever felt the pain they went through after you left them for each other?! And for your information, Desiderio and I went through a lot ourselves. We even tried to file a divorce against one another! But guess what? We love each other, and we love Desiree, too much to let ourselves go! You can't do any of that now can you? I expected better of you both – especially you, Samantha! The way you betrayed your husband like that made you betray our friendship," Diana snapped.

Sam said nothing, just when Diana waited for her to say something. Desiderio had his arms crossed and waited with her. Diana shook her head and stomped away. Sam remained silent, tears cascading effortlessly down her cheeks and onto the floor. Jay and Jolie wanted to say something. After years of silence and staying out of the way, they wanted to help. How could they when they didn't know what to say? Before Freddie could speak up for her, Sam breathed in.

"I never betrayed Salome, Diana. Salome is dead!" Sam shouted.

Desiderio's pupils shrunk and his body froze. Salome? Dead? Impossible. As hurtful as it sounds, he wanted to harm Sam for making such 'lies'.

"How dare you lie to her like that!" he shouted. Before he could reach her, Freddie stepped into defense and tried to push him away.

"It's the truth, Desiderio! Salome and Fiona are dead! They were killed in an accident." Freddie won this fight and shoved Desiderio away from Sam, whom he held thereafter.

"What do you mean they're dead?! What kind of foolish excuse is this? What on earth do you take us for!?" Diana protested.

"Do you want to know what I thought of you for the longest time now, Diana? Stubborn! Deniable! Both of you are! I explain to you one thing and you won't even believe a word I say until you see it for yourselves. How sceptical can you two get?! How many assumptions are you going to make to fool everyone? How many lies are you going to make up just to fool Angie and Andy? To fool Jay and Jolie!? Why else couldn't they contact you, huh? Why else couldn't you see them anymore? Get a clue, Di, before you make up this… this… this !" Sam snapped. Freddie froze in fear. He hadn't heard her scream that loudly since the day everything changed.

"Oh yeah? How did they die, huh? And an accident?! What kind of accident? Did you get into a fight? Did you secretly harbor feelings for one another without even telling them? I need straight answers here, Sam! And don't you even try to make a fool out of me," Diana shouted.

"Did we harbor—Di, we didn't even know each other that well okay? I love Fiona and I always will." Freddie argued.

"Then what on earth happened?! Tell me the truth," Desiderio demanded.

Freddie remained silent. He was tired of telling the same story over and over again. Every time he spoke of it, all he felt was an arrow striking his chest, his nerves shaking at every memory. He felt ashamed. Ironic as he is, he killed half of his family instead of trying to protect them.

"She was pregnant, okay?! I was going to have a daughter. WE were going to have a daughter. My son was going to have a sister – someone whom I believed will never make him feel afraid anymore. That night she was pretty much bursting, so I rushed her to the hospital – on one late night – and just like that, I lost them! I LOST THEM! I lost them and I couldn't bring them back! My wife, my daughter, they were all gone! It was my fault. I went too fast. And now I had to cope with losing you two after some crazy misunderstanding.

"And guess what else? Thanks to you, I'm also forced to endure the pain Andy will give me after the lies you've given them! Sam had to endure it all too. And now Sam and I had the nerve to find out that our children, who are all we have left in our family, are being tormented by YOUR children! All because of some lie you made up!? We're the ones who been through it all, we're the ones who had to endure the pain of our past, and we're the ones who need to speak up because this was and always will be our problem! And you were never there when that happened, so you have NO right to accuse us of something we never did!

"Andy and Angie will be barging into those doors anytime now with their son who tormented MY son. What will you say when they start ranting all those rumors you told them about us? What will you do when Andy starts punching me in the face for something I didn't do? Are you just going to stand there helplessly? Are you going to be happy now?!" Freddie barked. His face was red, his hair looked ruffled, and his veins showed. He could've sworn he felt a heart attack, but he didn't. He told himself to stay calm at the reunion. Then this happened.

Desiderio and Diana were dismayed, disillusioned, hurt even. Throughout their entire lives they denied everything. All they ever did was judge, blinding everyone from the truth. Even they felt blind and they refused to admit it. Until now. Their hearts shattered at the sudden late announcement. Their friends died. They died nearly a decade ago and they weren't even informed.

Out of their sight, Desiree eavesdropped on the entire conversation. Her eyes wide, her pupils small. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyebrows were lowered at the middle. She wanted to say something. She wanted to yell at her parents. They made her hate Sadie and Felix. They made her send Joy to detention. She felt like a fool, a jerk, a bully.

She was disgusted with herself.

Of all people.

"I hear yelling," she heard a voice say. _Joy?!_

"Mom, dad, what's going…. On?" Felix paused at the sight. Several things entered his mind:

 _Desiree._

 _Desiree's parents._

 _That means Angus is coming._

 _Angus and his family._

 _I'm going to die now._

 _Sadie was right._

 _This is way worse than a break-in._

He struggled to say another word and slowly rolled his eyes. He clutched his chest. Joy and Sadie panicked.

"Felix! Breathe!" Sadie cried.

"Desiree? What are you doing in my house?" asked Joy.

"Your- no way," Disgust muttered incredulously.

"I'm breathing…" Felix exhaled and turned to Freddie. "Dad! What's she doing here?! And what happened to you!?" he cried. Freddie groaned and looked away.

"We have a lot of explaining to do," Jay muttered. Jolie shook her head and crossed her arms in agreement. Then screeching was heard.

"Oh, snap, they're here," Jay muttered.

"Go to the backyard, you three. We'll explain everything later," Jolie commanded.

"But mom," Joy protested.

"No 'buts', young lady. Just go. This is our problem and we don't want you to get involved until we resolve this," Jolie said sternly.

"Oh, fine," Joy said quietly.

"I demand an explanation after this!" Felix spluttered as he was dragged away by Sadie. Desiree followed behind. Upon reaching the backyard, Desiree closed the door behind them.

"Guys, I need to tell you something," she started.

"Start what? Another mockery section? Well guess what? I don't want to hear it!" Sadie huffed.

"Come on, Desiree. Haven't we been through enough because of you?" Felix said while holding his sister protectively.

"No," Desiree answered. Then she took a deep breath and went on.

"You've been through enough before. I only made things worse."

* * *

"Why… why didn't you tell us!?" asked Desiderio.

"Dear me you're impossible to crack!" Freddie exploded. "You and your stubborn ego!"

Desiderio flinched. Jay felt his wife lean into his ear and whispered. The man gulped and stepped in between the two.

"Dude, maybe you should apologize… I mean it is your fault for starting all this. And just so you know, I really can't believe I fell for… for… this lie! Jolie and I were shaken up and we apologized because we tried to play no part in this. He's our friend, Des, our co-worker. And you made us lose him and Sam for all the wrong reasons. So if I were you, swallow your pride, admit that you were wrong, and apologize!" Jay said in defense. Then his voice softened. "For old times' sake?"

"Jay—"

"Desiderio, he's right. We need to apologize. Not only did we become horrible friends, we became horrible parents! Who were we to influence our daughter to despise their children? Even though I was mad at them before, I miss them. I'm sure you miss them too. We started this fight. Now it's time we end it," Diana avowed and stepped forward.

"Sam, Fred, I'm…" she gripped her husband's arm and pulled him. "We're deeply sorry. But is it really true Fiona's gone?"

Freddie looked down with bitterness. "Yes…"

"But why? Why you two? What brought you two together? Is this what you do after their death – you remarry?" Desiderio questioned.

"It wasn't our fault to begin with," Sam explained. "Felix and Sadie… well, they grew very fond of each other. I mean, do you remember when said I had a miscarriage?"

"That was fifteen years ago," Diana mumbled. "That definitely wasn't good news."

"Well, all of a sudden, Sadie found her new older brother. True, Felix couldn't replace the one I lost. But I can't bear to see Sadie upset and lonely anymore. I just want her to be happy… even just a little bit," Sam explained.

"You never said a word to me since that miscarriage. Salome remained silent as well," Diana remembered.

"I recall you and Desiderio on your honeymoon that day. We've been miserable and distant from everyone for a long time so we lost all contact with you guys. So I won't blame you," Sam assured.

"Will you at least forgive me? I feel horrible for influencing my daughter to stay away from yours. And I'm sorry I spread these rumors and ignored you for… years. I know I've been mad at you, but deep down I really missed you. Can you forgive me?" Diana apologized.

"You know me, Di, I always forgive. I just never forget," Sam quavered. The two huffed out tears and shared a deep hug with one another, one they haven't shared in a long time. Desiderio and Freddie looked at them, then at each other awkwardly.

"So… how are you going to explain this to Andy?" Freddie mumbled.

"I can reason with him. Am… am I forgiven?" Desiderio coughed.

"I don't know. Do you admit that you're wrong?"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I was wrong. I shouldn't have spread rumors like that. Not to Andy especially. I'm sorry."

"Like you mean it," Freddie added.

"I do mean it! You know me. I'm not a big fan of all this touchy feely stuff. A lot of things disgust me and I thought you were one of them. I was wrong," Desiderio confessed.

Freddie looked down on him and smiled. "Touche."

"So, I'm forgiven right?"

"Yeah. But let's not forget I have one more problem to deal with," Freddie groaned. Jay came in from behind and placed his arms around their shoulders. Freddie yelped and Desiderio gave him that same irritated look he always gave when they were at work. **(A.N. That's probably why they don't sit next to each other in Bill's head… don't take my word for it.)**

"I'm glad that's settled! Now, our next guest will be here in three, two, one—"

Three knocks.

Scratch that.

They were three bangs.

You could tell who that's going to be.

Jolie rushed to the door and pulled it open.

"Angie, hey!" Jolie greeted. Angie looked at her with annoyance.

"You better have a good reason for us to be here," Angie began.

"I can assure you it's very urgent and I highly recommend that you don't lose your temper," Jolie cautioned calmly.

"I hear you loud and clear. Did you hear what she said, Andy?!" she shouted.

"If it's not important then I don't need to hear it!" Andy barked back.

"Well it IS important, you numbskull! Get yourself and Angus' gluteus maximus over here before I drag you by the tie again," Angie threatened. Jolie palmed her face with embarrassment. _I'm really glad I didn't sit next to her at work,_ she thought.

"Quit nagging at me, woman! Just so you know you dragged me into this and thanks to you, our car got a flat tire," Andy exasperated. Then he turned to Angus.

"Get inside before your mother screams at you again. I can't stand her anymore!" he hissed.

"I HEARD THAT!"

Andy growled. Angus looked at him blankly and walked towards the house.

"Remind me why you accepted this again?" Angus asked.

"Because a certain Starlight wouldn't stop bugging me on the phone!" Angie reiterated.

"You're welcome," Jolie murmured sarcastically.

"Starlight…? Starlight!? Isn't that Joy's surname?" Angus stammered.

"Yes? Is there a problem?" Angie grumbled.

"Oh I've got a problem with it alright…" Angus growled.

"You know, why don't you go see Desiree? I'm sure she'd _love_ to hear your problem," Angie suggested in a forced calm tone. Jolie chuckled nervously and tilted her head.

"He's not coming in, is he?" Jolie guessed.

"What's taking them so long?" Sam uttered. Then she glanced at Angie with horror. Angie gave her the same look.

"You…?" Angie bellowed. "This is who I came here for!?"

"Angie, calm down," Sam begged.

"No I will not!"

"Angie, if you just gave Sam some time to explain—" Jolie stuttered. Like every Starlight, she was new to this sort of thing.

"There is no time, and there will be no explanations! Don't ever invite us to your house again, Jolie. I dare not step one foot in your house! Call my son. We're going home!" The moment she turned her back on Jolie, Andy just made it by the doorstep.

"Alright, I changed the tire. What did I miss?" Andy asked.

"I'll tell you when we get home. Pick up Angus. I'm not setting foot into that house ever again!"

"Seriously? I just got here!" Andy argued.

"I don't care!"

"Wait! Don't go!" Sam pleaded.

Andy gasped at the familiar voice. "Sam?!" He glared daggers at Jolie.

"Oh yeah, we're definitely out of here," he snapped. "Where's my son!?"

"Your son's not going anywhere until you and I fix up some loose ends," said another familiar voice.

"Freddie…? What did you do to Angus?!" Andy demanded. Angie heard this and rushed back to their doorstep.

"Bring me back my son, darn you!" Angie threatened.

"Sorry, Angus has his own problems to fix. Now if I were you, I'd do the same thing," Freddie informed. Andy shot a nasty glare and brought Freddie down to his height by grabbing his collar.

"Don't try to be a wise-guy Fred. I know your game!" he glowered.

"Andy, stop!" Sam cried. Jolie stepped back in fear and Jay pulled her away from the scene.

"That's enough!" Desiderio shouted. Andy and Angie moved their heads and spotted the Greenes in the living room.

"Derio?" Andy said, releasing his grip on Freddie. Sam knelt down to comfort him.

Desiderio took a deep breath and went on. Diana looked down with guilt and said nothing. "Andy, Angie, there's something I need to tell you. But before you say or do anything after this, I just want you to know that we're sorry."

* * *

"And that's what I heard," Desiree finished.

"Wait, so let me get this straight: your parents thought our parents were cheating on each other; then they told Angus' parents; and your parents told you to hate us because of what they saw?" Felix reiterated.

"That's right. I feel like a fool for believing them! I mean seriously, you two – traitorous? Please! At first I thought you were just toying with my head with all your niceness and whatnot. But I never got to believe that you were only being yourselves.

"I was afraid you two were going to deceive me in case I tried to be your friend in order to prove my parents wrong, so I decided to act mean and unfair to you guys. I was disgusted with the way mom and dad told me about your parents, so I thought I'd avenge them by making your lives miserable because I thought your parents influenced you to betray everyone in school. But I had no idea you've been through all this, with your dad; and your mom and sister" Desiree explained.

"I was wrong. I know that now. I'm sorry for pushing you two away. I'm sorry for calling you names, Sadie, and I'm sorry for letting Angus beat you, Felix. I'm sorry for shutting you out from everyone at school. I'm sorry for making up all these lies. I'm sorry for trying to break your trust with Joy. And I'm sorry for getting you two in trouble – Joy, Felix. I never meant to make you lose your necklace either. I promise I'll do everything I can to take it all back. I swear, I will—" she stressed on, then paused. She looked at her feet and forced her tears to stay put. She flinched as soon as Joy rested her hand on her shoulder.

"All is forgiven, Desiree. Right, guys?" Joy said quietly. Felix and Sadie looked at each other, smiled and nodded.

"Really?" Desiree asked shakily.

"Of course we do. We always forgave you and Angus," Felix admitted.

"We find it easier to forgive than to forget. It helps I guess," Sadie added.

Desiree crossed her arms and looked away. She wiped her nose.

"Do you want a hug?" Sadie asked.

"What?"

"A hug. Holding in your tears isn't healthy," she repeated.

"I'm not holding back anything," Desiree lied.

"Don't deny her, Desiree. She can sense everyone's tears," Felix informed.

"Do I deserve a hug?" Desiree asked.

"I forgive you, so yes," Sadie answered, her arms still held out for her. "My arms are getting tired. If you don't want a hug that's fine—" The Teardrop was pushed back slightly as Desiree tackled her. Sadie whimpered within the embrace and hugged Desiree back. At last, Desiree allowed herself to cry. The hug was brief and the two pulled apart, smiling. Felix held his arms out for her, and she willingly accepted it.

"I'm sorry, Felix. When Angus comes in I'll talk some sense into him to make him stop bullying you," Desiree apologized.

"A simple explanation would be fine," Felix chuckled. Letting go of the hug, Desiree turned to Joy, who threw her arms around her for one last hug.

"I'm glad we can finally get along, Desiree," Joy whispered.

"I never thought I'd say this but," Desiree pulled away and sniffed. "I'm actually excited to start anew with you guys."

"Me too. And I seldom get excited," said Sadie.

"Now if I can just get Angus to believe this whole shenanigan, then—"

"Then what?" interjected a voice. There they saw Angus standing by the sliding doors.

Felix shrilled and threw himself on Sadie. "What're you doing here?!"

"I was invited here, beanpole," Angus grumbled.

"Did you hear everything?" Sadie asked.

"I heard enough, followed by the series of explanations your parents are having with mine. I wanted to punch a wall after hearing everything!" he shouted.

"Wait, so you know too?" Joy asked.

Angus gave her a 'What do you think?' look.

"Oh…"

"Now that you know, genius, what are you going to do?" Desiree said dryly.

"I know, I know, I'm an idiot and I want to punch myself. And to think all my life I wanted everything to stay fair, when really I've been making your lives unfair. I feel like a man who's lost his purpose!" Angus barked.

"So, deep down… you wanted to hang out with us right?" Sadie asked.

"What're you saying? I wanted nothing to do with you!" Angus shouted. Sadie's lips quivered, causing Felix to glare.

"But…" he continued. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Joy's eyes widened. "Does that mean… you secretly cared about Felix and Sadie?"

Angus growled and yelled. "Yes I cared about them, Joy! Is that so wrong!? Did I need to say it out loud!?"

"I only needed a clarification, Angus. That's not wrong at all," Joy said softly.

"Is that your way of saying I'm sorry?" Felix asked.

Angus glared daggers at the Nerveling. "You don't need me to answer that."

"Ah- yes I do. I need you to say it," Felix said.

Angus gritted his teeth and looked away.

"Angus, apologize," Desiree commanded.

"I'm… sorry," Angus struggled.

"Like. You. Mean. It," Desiree commanded even louder.

"I'm sorry! I was a jerk and I'm sorry!" Angus snapped. His expression softened, which surprised everyone. "Can you forgive me?"

Sadie smiled and threw her arms around the Brickman. Startled, Angus began to struggle. "Hey, let go! I don't do hugs!"

"I don't wanna and I don't care!" Sadie cried.

Angus sighed. He didn't return the hug. Instead, he patted her head. "Thanks, kid."

After the two let go, Felix stepped in. Then Angus gave him a hand. "Don't even think about it."

"Please? Just one hug? I won't ask for anything else," Felix pleaded.

"Fine. But one-" Angus said before getting cut off by Felix's embrace. He snared. "Hug."

Looking across Felix's shoulder, Angus caught sight of Desiree smiling at him. It was a genuine smile, just the way he liked it. He smiled back. After they let go, Joy stepped in and pulled everyone to her.

"Alright, group hug everyone! Welcome to the club Angus," Joy exclaimed while ruffling his hair.

"Don't touch me. I said no more hugs!" Angus snapped.

Just as soon as the group hug ended, everyone couldn't help but hear the sound of laughter coming from the living room. They looked through the glass door and smiled at each other.

"Looks like mom and dad got everything under control in there," Joy opined.

"I'm surprised dad didn't punch anyone," said a shocked Angus. Then his eyes grew wide. "How on earth did they make mom smile like that?!"

"Is my mom actually happy? I've never seen her smile so genuinely in ages!" Sadie gasped.

"Thank goodness dad hasn't taken any hits today. He looks surprisingly happier than expected!" Felix commented.

"Wow, dad's actually enjoying the conversation! Normally he stays bored at every topic. And is my mom laughing?!" Desiree asked incredulously,

Joy moved away from the door and grinned. She remembered that over an hour ago she wasn't feeling like herself. That she felt everything but herself, her joy. The way she stared at how rhapsodic their parents became. She could've imagined the emotions they were forced to go through in order to earn this feeling. Then she remembered the events that occurred with her. With Sadie. With Felix. Maybe she understood what Felix had said. Maybe.

"They're coming this way!" Felix hissed and pushed Sadie, Desiree and Angus away from the door. The doors slid open, and bursts of laughter came barging through.

"Hey, kiddos, sorry for the delay. We had some issues that needed to be discussed," informed Jay.

"Don't be sorry, dad. We also had some issues of our own that needed fixing," Joy related. Angus, Felix, Desiree and Sadie smiled in agreement. Her father smiled and turned to his group.

"So boys, what do you say we play a little number? For old times' sake!" he suggested.

"Sounds like a plan! Earlier I wanted to do a drum riff on Freddie's head. And then I realized I should've thought about doing it to this preppy right here!" Andy laughed.

"Oh, come on, I said I was sorry! What do you want from me?" Desiderio laughed back.

"We can dedicate this musical number to Salome. Let him know how happy we are now that we made up and how much we miss the guy. Who's with me?" Freddie proposed.

"That sounds lovely," Sam approved.

"Oh, can this number be dedicated to Fiona as well? She needs to hear this," Jolie said excitedly.

"I just hope she can forgive me for lashing out like that," Angie said solemnly to herself.

"All is forgiven for us, An," Diana reminded.

"I'll say… I'll go fire up the stage! I've got my own set of instruments in case you guys didn't bring any," Jay offered.

"Good. I can't be bothered driving three blocks away just to get my drum set," Andy cackled.

While the parents were busy setting up their long abandoned stage, the teens spent their time exploring the Starlight Greenhouse.

"I can't believe you have so many plants here, Joy! I'm never really fond of gardens. I mean can you imagine sticking your hands into that icky dirt? Ew!" Desiree complained.

"That's why we wear gloves, Desiree," Joy chuckled.

"Desiree," Sadie called.

Desiree looked at Joy with hesitance. Joy nodded and Desiree went for it.

"Yes?"

"Check out these flowers. They look just like the ones on your dress," said Sadie.

Desiree gasped. "No kidding! These look beautiful!"

"Yeah."

"Oh! That reminds me. I saw this really cute sweater in a store once and I thought it would look great on you," Desiree recalled.

"Really?"

"Yeah! I should definitely take you guys shopping with me one day. It'll be fun I promise," Desiree offered.

"Sounds fun!" Joy giggled and turned to Felix. "So, what do you think?"

"What do I think? Joy this place is… I, I, I can't even—words can't explain how magnificent this place is! You and your parents must've put in a lot of effort into this greenhouse," Felix effused.

"Aw, thank you! Where's Angus?" Joy wondered.

"Oh, he's over there trying to confront that Venus Flytrap," Felix laughed while pointing in the Brickman's direction.

"YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME, DIRTFACE!? COME AND GET SOME!" Angus shouted before retracting his hand as the plant tried to bite him. Desiree and Sadie burst out laughing.

"Your boyfriend is weird," said Sadie.

"Don't call him my boyfriend, Sadie… it's weird when you say it that way," Desiree stated.

"Why?" Sadie frowned.

"It just is!" Desiree looked at the flowers before her, hiding her mad blush.

Joy and Felix laughed at Angus' brawl with the potted plant. The Nerveling spotted a bed of sunflowers sitting by the corner. "These look like they just blossomed," he observed.

"Yeah… it took me forever to make them grow," Joy sighed. "Some of them look ready to pick out but I prefer to leave them there for now. I don't know what to do with them yet."

Felix crouched down to a particular sunflower. He looked at Joy, then back at the flower. "I can think of one idea," he said and reached for the stem. "M-may I?"

Joy blushed and nodded. "Sure, go ahead!"

Felix smiled and plucked the flower. Then he stood to face Joy and planted it in your hair. "That's all I can think of."

Joy blushed and looked down shyly. "Hey, thanks for cheering me up by the way. I guess I finally understood what you meant."

Felix smiled softly but said nothing. He secretly felt anxious about repeatedly forgetting that necklace.

"Looks like someone wants to ask Joy to the prom?" Desiree teased. Sadie nodded. Angus gave up on the plant and caught up with them.

"I-I- I… what're you saying?" Felix stuttered, his face turning ten shades redder.

"Oh, shoot I forgot about prom! After all this I don't think I want to compete anymore. But it's too late for me to back down now!" Joy panicked.

"Joy, it's okay. We're friends now! From that moment on it'll be a friendly competition. And who knows? With luck we might convince Principal Raine to crown us both! But I think you deserve to win, Joy. I wouldn't mind backing down for you," Desiree spoke.

"Thanks Desiree… but this is your dream. I only did this for Felix and Sadie. You deserve this title more than I do," Joy reminded.

"I know but… ugh it's so unfair! Why can't we both be rewarded for Prom? The staff and their stupid ideas," Desiree complained.

"I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Alright, botanists, time's up. Your dads are about to start," called Jolie. Everyone smiled and exited the greenhouse, excited to hear a long awaited music number.

* * *

 **That ending didn't come out the way I wanted it… The next chapter… AWAY! This was one of the most significant parts of the story I believe. I can't be bothered proofreading this. But the worst part is definitely not over. And yes… I never got to insert the scene between Angus' parents and Freddie and Sam. One reason is because it's going to be too lengthy, another is that it may be a little graphic (possible violence or swearing) This is a K+ story people! Enough said. Time to reply!**

 **Ellena: Yeah… I think Joy cried in Chapter 7. It's too bad Felix forgot to bring it… I saw your poem by the way… very interesting! It sounds like a song I dunno why but the lines make sense! Thank you!**

 **Vicky: Thanks!**

 **Holly Anne: Thank you! And YES, that reference. This chapter definitely had heaps of drama.**

 **Joylovesfear123: I wouldn't recommend it D: Desiree is on their side now!**

 **KoldPredator88: Thanks! Give a shoutout to this guy by the way.**

 **Brickoli: Yes you may.**

 **Minty Star: Thanks! So much of that was revealed right here.**

 **Creativity Queen: Oh my, thanks so much! I hope you love this chapter even more because it gets VERY intense.**

 **Mlplovergirl: OH THE DRAMA! I CAN'T HANDLE IT!**

 **ErinMilne: Thanks… this one, I think my Emotions just died of relief.**

 **Guest: Glad you like my Humotions pic! I'm not considering the Emotions having a family yet but it does seem like a suitable idea. :D**

 **Insider Sim: Thanks a heap! :)**

 **Sunny: Don't worry, I'm busy myself and I make time just to update this story when I need to. But thanks for the motivation! :D**

 **Guest: Yeah… Sadie's hilarious and she doesn't know it. And yes, their parents are amazing. Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **OK! THAT'S ALL FROM ME AND I'LL SEE YOU ALL SOON IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY/NIGHT EVERYONE!**


	13. Chapter 13: An Emotional Parents' Day

**Yo! Here comes the next chapter. Now I was going to make this a very important chapter but I decided to slack off for a while and make this a chapter dedicated to the Parents' Emotions again. This fandom needs more stories between Riley's Parents' Emotions if you will because quite frankly, we don't see enough of those. I mean come on, they were the ones who brought out the humor of the movie!**

 **If you thought Desiree and Angus deserved enough from that last chapter, then guess what? You're dead wrong! They've got a lot more to deserve after what they've done. Karma won't let them slip away that easily. This plan has been going on for months and I don't think I'll change it for a while. This is a hint for the next chapter. This chapter also displays a lot of hints. I'm evil like that.**

 **I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! Now you're all excited for Prom. That chapter won't come in till later. If you're wondering, it's probably the second or third to the last chapter. That's right. It's not the end just yet. So if that chapter ever disappoints you one day, don't worry. The roller coaster's just about to reach its peak. Then it'll all go** ** _waaaaaaaay_** **downhill from there. All the way down to a happy ending! Or the end of the roller coaster. I've got paper bags in case you need to puke. I stole them from Fear shh…**

 **REVIEW TIME:**

 **KoldPredator: OI , GIVE ME THAT PIZZA! I heard Italian pizza is legendary. :D Because… it's Italian… pizza.**

 **Storygirl: aw thank you!**

 **Vicky: Don't we all?**

 **Metherarto: Thanks! Prom is coming very soon.**

 **HollyAnne: Glad you enjoyed it! And I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. :D**

 **Sunny: I hope you did well in your exams! And this chapter won't really involve Riley's Emotions, but the Parents' Emotions. Enjoy!**

 **Insider Sim: Thank you!**

 **MintyStar: Thank. You. Squire!**

 **Mlplovergirl: I KNOW AAAA**

 **Now… I somewhat know what this chapter will be about, but I have no plan on what to write. Guess I'll just have to wing it!**

* * *

Joy woke up the next Monday morning and raced downstairs. She caught her parents laughing together at the dining table while sharing a few flirtatious comments.

"Morning, lovebirds! What're you up to?" Joy chirped teasingly.

Jay glanced at his daughter's sudden gaze and hastily lifted his newspaper to separate them. "Just reading this totally boring newspaper upside-down while I relax on my chair respectfully," he joked back.

"Oh stop it, Jay. Good morning, Joy. You slept well," Jolie giggled.

"Only one of the best dreams I've ever had!" said Joy excitedly.

Jay lowered his newspaper with a smirk. "Let me guess, you got kissed by Felix and lived happily ever after?" he asked vengefully.

"No, dad," snorted Joy.

"I'm very glad you and your friends befriended Desiree and Angus. At long last this feud is over and we can finally get along again!" Jolie exclaimed.

"Ha, I know! Now that Andy and Freddie settled everything we can officially resume our part time job as a rock n' roll band!" Jay laughed while standing on the couch and playing with an air guitar.

"No way, you were in a band?" Joy asked incredulously.

"You betcha, kiddo! I was going to teach you how to play the drums, but your mom had other ideas," he said, his voice changing from excitement to boredom.

"Singing is perfect for Joy," Jolie retorted. "I don't need another drummer in the family."

Jay smiled endearingly and placed his arm around her. "And you are one heck of an angel when you sing. But don't worry, Jo. There's no one out there who can make a drumbeat on your heart like I do."

"Oh, stop it will you?" Jolie laughed, her heart thumping at every word.

"Ha! See, there it is. I didn't even need to think of a rhythm for that one."

Joy giggled. "Alright, I'll be in school. I can't wait to spend time with Desiree and Sadie today!"

"What about Felix?" Jolie asked.

"He's going to be with Angus for the day. Angus is going to teach him how to play soccer. I just hope Angus doesn't hurt Felix in the process," Joy muttered. Then she grinned and stepped out the door. "Oh, what am I waiting for?! Bye, mom! Bye, dad! Love you!"

"Love you, sweetie! Have a great day," Jolie shouted.

"You too!"

"Call us if you need anything!" Jay added. Then he closed the door and turned to Jolie with a flirtatious grin. "So, where were we?" he asked while flicking his hair.

Jolie blushed and rolled her eyes, smiling. "I'm your drum."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I just said it out loud, you dork!" Jolie giggled.

"Well I need you to say it again," Jay smirked.

"And what if I don't want to?"

"Then I guess this ticklish percussion instrument has to talk it over to the TICKLE MONSTER!" Jay exclaimed and started tickling Jolie's sides. Jolie laughed and squirmed from his sudden move. Then she shoved him gently and sprinted lightly

"No, Jay!" she laughed and ran across the house like a child, like their daughter. Jay caught up immediately while swiftly dodging the furniture. There was a lot of room to run around, and playing indoor tag with Joy used to be one of their daily routines. Jolie managed to escape Jay, or so she thought. Being the sneak of the family, Jay managed to make his way in front of Jolie the moment she looked back to see if he was still chasing her. The moment she looked before her, she was instantly being carried over her shoulder.

"Gotcha!" Jay shouted with glee

"Ah! Jay, put me down! You win, you win, I get it!" she exclaimed with surprise. Jay chuckled and did so gently. "My heart is definitely your drum," she panted. She hasn't ran like that in a while.

"And my heart is a drum that beats only for you," Jay said back. Jolie rolled her eyes and shoved his chest. She could feel his heart beat with celerity.

"You're so cliché sometimes," Jolie chuckled, her face reddening.

Jay took her hand before she could release it from his chest and closed their distance.

"Am I?" he whispered.

Jolie giggled and lowered her forehead to meet with his as he did the same, their gazes locked and their cheeks tainted pink.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Ready for school, Teary Nerves?" Freddie joked. "I can't allow you to be late for your walk with Joy."

"Yeah, dad, just getting ready," Felix said while packing his books. Underneath his pencil case he caught sight of Joy's necklace. His eyes widened and he took it in gently. A kind smile formed on his face until he heard Sadie knock on his door. He yelped slightly and scurried toward his door, unaware that the necklace was no longer in his hand.

"What's up, Sadie?" Felix asked.

"Let's go. For once I'm excited and I don't want your tardiness to get in the way," Sadie nagged.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming! Keep your spectacles on," Felix hurriedly stuffed his books in his bag, which was now on his back and headed for the door.

"Have a good day at school! And try not to get bullied this time, alright? We resolved this and I don't' want it to go to waste," Sam demanded.

"Neither do I, mom. Come on, Felix, let's go!" Sadie cried desperately while pulling at her brother's hand. "Love you, mom, love you dad," she said.

"I'll see you two later. Take care!" Freddie smiled and waved calmly.

"Will try to, dad. Bye mom! I'll try not to make Angus hit me in the face with a soccer ball," Felix said. And the door was shut.

"Did he just say Angus was going to hit him with a soccer ball?" Freddie asked with concern.

"I doubt it will be on purpose. Angus offered to teach him anyway," assured Sam.

"Right. So, what do you want to do?" Freddie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the sun is shining, a weight has been lifted from our shoulders, I figured we should go out to celebrate."

"Sure, let's just wait for the kids to get home and—"

"A-actually I was hoping to spend it with you… you know, just the two of us," Freddie explained.

"It's been so long since I was asked out," Sam chuckled. Freddie blushed slightly.

"I-it's not a date or anything! I-I mean it is i-if you want it to be. I'm totally fine with either—" Freddie's hasty tone was hushed by a finger on his lips.

"Say no more. I'll go get changed," Sam said with a smile and left the living room.

"Y-yeah. Good idea. I'll do that too."

After a small walk with small talk to a nearby café, the couple made their order and sat on a coffee table sitting at the side of the glass bay window.

"I admire your bravery for standing up for us, Fred," Sam mumbled shyly.

"What? Oh, well I was too angry to be afraid. Our emotions work in the silliest of ways don't they?" Freddie chuckled.

"Yeah. I couldn't stop smiling that day. I actually had to cover my mouth the entire time," said Sam.

"Why?" Freddie asked with concern.

"I don't know. I'm so used to frowning. Plus, my smiles are weird so I can't really… I don't like smiling too much," Sam said. Freddie frowned and moved his chair next to hers.

"Hey, I like your smile. It means a lot to me when you smile. It calms my nerves, ya' know," Freddie complemented.

"No, I hate my smile. It's all goofy and weird-looking. Jolie have the best smile. Angie looks pretty daring when she smiles and Diana looks beautiful when she smiles, especially when she's satisfied."

"And yours isn't? Sam, your smile is adorable! Sadie got that from you, didn't she?" Freddie said.

"Yeah, but, oh it's not important. I used to smile slightly more often than I do now, but ever since I lost Salome, my life has been filled with nothing b-but so-sor-" she huffed, letting a few tears out.

"Hey, hey, hey, Sam, we're in a public place. I don't want to see you cry like this," Freddie panicked while trying to calm her down. He scooted his chair closer to her side and made her lean on his shoulder. Then he rubbed her arm soothingly and hushed her. It was like taking care of young Felix when he became scared of the dark.

"I know, I'm sorry. Thank you," Sam sniffed. There was brief silence, followed by the clinking of glasses, and the soft rumbling of coffee machines.

"To tell you the truth, Salome loved seeing me smile. I would smile for him, my daughter, and nobody else. Ever since he… I only smiled to keep my daughter as happy as I could possibly make her," she added.

"I… I'm so sorry. To tell you the truth, before Fiona died I swore on my right hand that I will always be brave for her and that I would sacrifice my life for her and my son if I had to. Ironically, I broke that promise, and I was too afraid to lose anyone else. To lose my son… and now that I have you and Sadie, I prayed every night wishing you were safe. Followed by the fact that Desiderio and Andy hated me all because of some silly misunderstanding, I knew I had to try being brave again," Freddie confessed and returned his original position in front of Sam.

"I'm glad that you got that off your chest," Sam said, then blushed. "But I'm flattered when you said you tried to be brave for us again. That's really sweet."

Freddie glanced over at an incoming waitress and smirked. "Speaking of sweets…"

"Coffee, sir?" said the waitress, who placed the mug on Freddie's side..

"Yup."

"Iced coffee?" said the waitress again. Sam shyly raised her hand and the medium glass was placed before her.

"Thank you," said Sam. The waitress nodded, hoped they enjoyed their drinks and left.

"You know," Freddie began. "If you smile every once in a while, you do know that Salome's always there to see it right?"

"I-I know," said Sam.

"Is it me? Am I being too overprotective? I can try to be a fun dad. I mean I do crack up jokes every time I see Felix and Joy together. Those two go well like a constellation in the night sky!" said Freddie.

"I agree," nodded Sam. "But Felix will have to wait a while, if you know what I mean."

Freddie lowered his eyebrows, "What do you—" and paused. "Oh… right." Taking a sip from his coffee, he suddenly grew the urge to cough out smoke. Sam covered her lips and snorted.

"Looks like someone forgot to blow his own coffee," she giggled.

"N-no, no, I'm fine. I just need something cold," he coughed.

Sam looked at her drink and passed it. "Help yourself."

"Thank you. I know I refused to drink this before, but I can't remember why." After sipping in a little too much iced coffee, Freddie's eyes shrunk and jolted slightly.

"ACK! BRAIN FREEZE!" Freddie screamed.

Sam blinked and burst out laughing. It was fairly loud and some customers in the area couldn't help but stare at them both. Freddie was surprised. He had never seen, or heard, her laugh like that before. Seeing this made him smile and ignore the slight pain in his forehead. Being self-conscious, she had her hands over her mouth and kept grinning. Freddie leaned in, grabbed her hand and brought it down. Sam's smile disappeared and her gaze met his.

"Don't. You're beautiful when you smile," Freddie said softly, while giving back her iced coffee. Sam's blush intensified, and so did Freddie's. She looked down at their now intertwined hands and let out a kind smile. Without warning, Sam leaned over the table, and kissed Freddie's forehead. Freddie froze in shock and his face grew warm. The cringing pain of his forehead, it was gone. The two smiled endearingly for a while. Then Sam took her cup and moved her hand away.

"That should do it."

"A-ah! Right… thank you," Freddie stammered and blew on his coffee. If only he held her hand a little longer.

So this really is a date.

* * *

"Angus, I hope you're good to go," Angie nagged.

Angus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, mom, I'll be out of here before you can say-"

"Hurry up, son, you're going to be late!" Andy chimed in.

"Fine, sheesh! What's with the rush? You know classes start in half an hour," Angus wondered.

"That's because your mother and I have a lot to spend together," Andy answered.

"Oh brother."

"Yup. So either you leave for school right away, or Angie and I are going to talk about just how much we-"

"Alright, alright, I heard enough! Goodbye," Angus groaned and was out the door in a snap.

"Hold up, Angus!" Angie called.

"What now?"

"I don't want to get too personal but are you and Desiree still… together?" she asked. Andy heard this and nodded.

"What're you talking about?"

"Son, look, we care about you a lot. But that Desiree… she treats you like her personal bodyguard! Anyone who treats my son like that doesn't deserve him," Angie growled.

"Now, Angie, let's not get carried away. You do know she's the Greene's daughter right?" Andy said.

"I don't care! A relationship like that is very unfair for you, Angus. And I remember fetching you a few weeks ago and I caught Desiree's so-called-friends talking trash about you. I wanted to get out of the car and give those girls a piece of my mind!" Angie snapped.

"I don't blame you. Angus, you need to talk to Desiree about this. This is very unfair on your part," Andy ordered.

"Why bother? She'll never listen to me," Angus grumbled.

"If she doesn't listen to you then you might as well tell her it's over, walk away and never look back," Angie recommended.

"Oh for goodness' sakes, Angie, we just made up with everyone," Andy argued.

"This is for Angus' sake, Andy. I just want his life to be fair. That's what both of us wanted for him! Don't you want his life to stay fair like ours?" Angie barked.

"I know, you're right. But I wouldn't blame Desiree. It's her no good friends! You said so right, Angus?" Andy countered.

"Tell me about it. Who cares if they have eye shadow and half-shaved heads?!" Angus ranted. If only she knew that he loved her the way she is. None of those would look good on her anyway, he thought.

"Exactly! Now, Angus, when you get to school I want you to talk to Desiree. Tell her that you have new friends now! That Joy, Felix and Sadie, are way better," Andy ordered.

"For once, I agree with you. We were only talked into thinking they weren't good enough for you, and we're still sorry for that. But you need to save Desiree. She's already being treated unfairly by those… those preppies!" Angie admitted.

"Oh I'll save her alright. I'll even use those curse words if I have to!" Angus swore.

"That's the spirit! But don't get yourself in trouble… seriously," warned Andy. "Now get out of here before I tell your mother how much I-"

"Goodbye!" Angus roared and slammed the door.

"You were gonna say 'hate' weren't you?" Angie deadpanned.

"Nah, that's you talking. You know you love me because you hate me, right?" Andy teased.

"It's not that I hate you, you're just an idiot. Only a fool would marry an idiot!" Angie barked.

"Tell that to the ring, sweetheart. You're my fool and you always have been," said Andy.

"Call me a fool again and I will strangle you," Angie warned, her cheeks reddening. She grinned inwardly.

Andy grinned. "I love you too."

Angie's face became hotter. She wasn't sure if it was anger, or something else. She rolled her eyes, kissed Andy's cheek and headed for the kitchen, leaving her final message for Andy to hear.

"Shut up."

* * *

Desiree tapped her foot next to the door and checked her watch impatiently. "Dad, aren't you going to drive me to school?"

Desiderio frowned. "Would love to, darling, but for some reason the limo broke down and now I have to get it fixed."

"What about mom's car?"

"Sure, Desiree. If you want, I can say hello to your friends at school—"

"I'm sorry, with you and dad with me in school? No thank you," Desiree declined.

"Well, it's either that or you'll have to walk to school," Diana suggested. Then she checked her phone. "And change of plans. I have a meeting in an hour with my new client, so I guess you'll have to walk this one, dear."

"Walking, seriously!? Mom, do you have any idea what'll happen if I walk like two blocks to school? I'll break a sweat! My hair will get all frizzy and my clothes will get all wrinkly. My makeup will wear off! I am not going to school on foot," she complained.

"I can come with you, if you like," Desiderio said.

"Dad, no. I already told you I don't like seeing you near my friends! It's embarrassing," Desiree reminded.

"Your _new_ friends or your old, 'populazzi' friends?" Desiderio questioned.

"My old friends, like duh! And they're not just some populazzi group. They're cool! They get to wear eye shadow, dye their hair, and even wear double ear piercings, which you don't allow me to wear," Desiree huffed.

"Honey, no one knows fashion like we do. Those things just don't suit you. And I know this is the beginning of a new turning point but I prefer you hang out with your new friends," Diana suggested.

"Mom, I love my new friends. But I just can't give up my old friends for them!" Desiree argued.

"Yeah, but are they really your friends?" Desiderio asked.

"What're you talking about dad? You don't know them like I do."

"I don't, but I do know little. Let's see, they have little respect for us, I once overheard them talk about how 'hideously atrocious' your scarf was, and I notice how much you deny your relationship with Angus in front of them," Desiderio confessed.

"Derio!" Diana hissed.

"Hey, I don't want our daughter to get backstabbed like this! And, Desiree, how could you deny Angus for a group of girls who can't even accept you for who you are? Seeing you do those things makes me think that you're allowing yourself to be taken for granted! Honey, they are nothing like you. You're better than that. You're better than _them_ ," Desiderio explained.

Desiree remained speechless. Was this all true? Did she really feel used after being with them? Those girls, she thought they were cool. She wanted them to like her, and they did. She wanted to do what those girls expected of her. Then again, she was a new student and she had no hand to hold onto… except Angus'. They were childhood friends, and he always stepped in to make sure her life was fair. In return, she offered him fashion tips – what it takes to become a hunk… or something along those lines. He was always with her, and she pushed him away. For a group of girls whom she thought were just like her. They used her like she used him.

"I got to go," was all she said. She could use the walk.

"Desiree," Diana called. Desiree reluctantly looked back.

"Remember what we agreed on when you were younger?" Diana asked.

Desiree smiled sadly. "Don't eat the poisoned apples."

"That's our girl," Desiderio said softly as he and Diana returned the smile, kissed Desiree's forehead and allowed her to step out alone.

"I still can't believe you said that. You could've gone for a calmer approach!" Diana scolded.

"Di, I've been holding this grudge for too long. Our daughter has been poisoned long enough by those people! And I have to say, we were one of them," Desiderio said sadly and sat on the couch. His head hung down.

Diana looked at him solemnly and sat next to him. All this time she thought he was neglecting Desiree for everything he owns. Then again, what made her any different? She cared too much and still poisoned her with unwitting. "Hon, I never knew you felt this way. I- I thought—"

"That I care about money more than our daughter? Diana, you know that's not true. I love my job, I know that. But I really wanted to spend time with Desiree. I want to be the father she wants me to be. I gave her everything she wanted that I could afford. Everything but my attention. I was too busy for her," Desiderio said with a crack in his voice. Diana said nothing and waited for him to continue.

"Maybe… if I convince Andy that we get back to working in his old business again, you know with me, him, Freddie, Jay and… without Salome unfortunately, then I might have enough time to spend for Desiree," he thought.

"But, that was nearly twenty years ago," Diana argued.

Desiderio stood up and glared. "I have to try! I would give up everything I had just to be with my daughter. I would give up everything I had just to make things right with Freddie and Sam, because do you know that feeling where you think you got what you deserve but at the same time you think you didn't deserve enough? That's how I feel! Don't you get that feeling at all?"

Diana fell silent once again and lowered her head. "Yes, I do. And I don't need you to remind me about this. I already felt disgusted with myself for committing such lies. I poisoned her because I cared about her too much!"

"And I poisoned her because I cared too less!" Desiderio fought back.

"At least you didn't have to lie to her all the time!"

"At least you get to spend time with her!"

"Every time I lied to her—"

"Every time I left her—"

"I feel like a bad parent!" they said altogether. They looked at each other, then away. Diana hung her head down and sniffed. Desiderio, always making the first move, sat right next to her and allowed her to lean on him. She rarely cried. Everyone in the Greene family rarely cried. They spoke about this before, about having children – about having Desiree. They weren't sure if they were ready yet.

"Di, you know that's not true right? You're a wonderful mother. Just like you're a wonderful wife," Desiderio murmured.

Diana blushed and shook her head in denial. "Don't lie to me. I feel useless."

"I'm not lying, I swear! Before this whole misunderstanding happened, you were always there for Desiree! You fed her, disciplined her, helped her with her homework, you did everything a good mother would for her. Diana, you're not useless. If anything, I should be the one who feels useless. I leave this house every time she wanted to play with me and I regret it. I know what it takes to run a business, but I don't think I know what it takes to be a good father," Desiderio muttered.

"Shut. Up. Desiderio. You're a better father than you think you are! If it weren't for you, Desiree wouldn't have all these things: all her belongings, all her makeup, everything really. I remember when she was younger you strictly told her to never get a boyfriend until Angus proved his worth. You give these things to Desiree but at the same time you restrict her from using them too much so that she doesn't become spoiled! You're a good father, Desiderio. If you weren't a good father, then I would've packed my bags, and Desiree's, and leave you ages ago! But I didn't," Diana admitted.

"And why is that?" Desiderio questioned, refusing to look at her.

Diana rolled her eyes. For nineteen years she had to endure his obliviousness. "Because!" she exclaimed. Then her tone softened and silenced. "I love you."

Desiderio flinched and turned his head towards her. After being married for nearly twenty years, those words were all so new to him. He remembered the very first time they met, where he was the one who wanted to grab her attention. All she did was look away, annoyed. To this day he wondered: why him? Why, even after all this denial and ignorance, did she choose to marry him? Sure they had their moments, but every memory since Desiree's birth was all he could remember. How did he make her fall in love with him? How did he woo her? How did he propose?

Every memory before then was recalled through these words.

"What did you say?" he murmured.

Diana blushed and gripped her mulberry colored dress. "I said I love you, you idiot! For goodness' sakes you make me feel like a twenty-year-old! Okay, look, at first I thought I got off at the wrong foot with you. I thought you were nothing but some kind of desperate, preppy playboy trying to mess with my emotions! I mean, I already told you about my past relationships and how every man I met messed me up. And I have told you how disgusted I was with men and how deceptive they can get.

"I thought… I thought you were that man. I thought that one day, after Desiree was born, you were going to walk away on me. I thought you were going to leave me just like any other man would do. I thought you were going to abandon me, abandon our daughter. I waited every night for you to come home, for you to come home and say you love me. I never said I loved you back because even then I still had trouble trusting you. I thought that if I got carried away, you could see through me and leave me when you get the chance.

"That's why I was so angry when I thought Fred and Sam cheated on each other! And I was wrong. I was horribly, horribly wrong! I lied to you, I lied to Desiree, I lied to Angie, and I didn't even know. This is what I meant when I said I'm a horrible mother! I'm a horrible mother, a horrible friend… and a horrible wife. I thought I knew too much, but it turns out I didn't know enough," Diana cried.

Desiderio didn't say a word and they remained silent for what felt like hours. Instead, he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. Diana's eyes widened in shock. Then she closed them shut and kissed back. Out of all the few kisses they had, passionate or otherwise, this finally felt real. Pulling away hesitantly, Desiderio had one hand stroke her cheek, and the other tucking a lock of hair that was out of place. This brought back memories for Diana. He's always been a good kisser, she thought. **(I have paper bags in case you found this corny. xD)**

"Oh, Diana, you're knew more than enough. Sure you didn't know about Freddie and Sam. I mean believe me I was there and I saw it too. But you were right about everything else. A lot of men out there can betray you in the blink of an eye, and I hate that. It disgusts me. I've had a few dates of my own and those women had left me for an even better-looking man. It made me think that only one in a million women out there would want to be with me and only me. I'm just glad that one woman is you." He pulled her close in a tight embrace.

"And I'm not oblivious. I knew you never trusted me, like you did with other men. So I proved myself to you. I gave you everything you wanted, I gave you everything you needed, and I did everything I could to get out of my old job and come running home to you. I would never leave you, Diana. I would never leave the woman who made me feel like I'm one in a million. And even if you did leave me one day, for whatever reason, I swear I'll do my best to take it all back," Desiderio finished. Diana's lips quivered and cried softly onto his tucked in business shirt. Desiderio knew nothing about comforting anyone. Only Salome knew that. Diana took a glance at the clock and groaned.

"Great… I'm late for my meeting," she sniffed. Before she could stand up and leave, Desiderio grabbed her hand and pulled her close.

"Just… forget the meeting. And stay," he pleaded. Diana cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

"After all, I'm just a desperate preppy playboy who only has eyes for you," he joked playfully. Okay, so he knew a thing or two on how to cheer someone up. Diana flushed once more.

"At least let me reapply my makeup. I look hideous," she sniffed back, smiling.

Desiderio rolled his eyes and smirked. "Please, I don't want another pretty face. I want your beauty inside and out. That's what I always wanted in a woman, and I saw it in you."

Diana's blush deepened. _I'm really glad I met you,_ she thought.

"Idiot."

* * *

 **That was it for this chapter. It was unexpected even for me because I did not plan to put this in. I guess you could say this is a bonus chapter. It's up to you on how you want to consider it. After all, this is about Joy, Felix, Sadie, Angus and Desiree. There's a lot of foreshadowing in this story. Desiree's fake friends are NOT OCs. They will be based on Riley's Classmates' emotions, based on their hinted appearances. The next chapter should be interesting to write… Huuurrrrrmmmm….**

 **So, if you visit my profile I made a plan – it's not clear yet – where I'm going to write a prologue to 'An Emotional School Year' where it's centered on the Parents' Emotions: how they met, what happened, etc. There're going to be five one-shots featuring how the parents met: Jay x Jolie, Angie x Andy, Desiderio x Diana and yes…. Along with Sam x Salome and Freddie x Fiona. Those last two one-shots are going to be depressing to write and read for sure.**

 **Which one of these parental moments was your favourite? I may or may not have mixed up their names because they sound so similar. I nearly make these mistakes and I had to proofread it as I go. If you spot any errors, feel free to PM me about them… or include them in your review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Flames? Ohoho, prepared to get roasted on Anger's head. Feel free to answer in the review section and I will see you guys again for another update!**


	14. Chapter 14: An Emotional Accusation

**Here I am with a new chapter! This one is long and intense at the same time, mind you. So be prepared for the feels. Before we begin, reply time! I'll be fast with this one.**

 **Sunny – that's good! How did your exams go? This is a late question isn't it? The wait is over for this chapter.**

 **HollyAnne- Thank you!**

 **KoldPredator88 – I think it was a coincidence. xDD**

 **Vicky – Same here.**

 **Mlplovergirl – Yeah, I thought so too haha**

 **Insider Sim – Aw thanks!**

 **Guest – Thanks so much! I needed that.**

 **Ponystoriesandothers – Thanks! Yeah, I apologize for the cheesiness but that's 'kind of' the goal of this story XDD Not really. There will be some unexpected moments… if only I could stop myself from spoiling everyone. And yes, I stay tune to your WYR every now and again. :)**

 **Bashlightul – Wait no longer!**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

Desiree started to reflect on what her parents said to her. What if those girls were never who she thought they were? What if Angus was the only one who stood by her side when no one else did? What if Joy, Felix and Sadie were her true friends this whole time? She needed answers, and she needed to know if she needed to wake up. While paying attention to these thoughts, she unknowingly bumped into a smaller figure.

"Watch where you're going!" said the figure. Desiree looked down. Of course. Who else would it be?

"Good morning to you too, Brickhead," Desiree greeted dryly.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know it was you. I was just thinking, that's all," Angus muttered without making eye contact.

"Me too."

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing I… was just thinking about how this new day will go now that Felix and Sadie are our friends now," Desiree half lied. "Were you thinking the same thing?"

"You could… say that." Angus checked his watch and flinched. Then he gently gripped Desiree's hand and sprinted. Poor Desiree couldn't keep up with those purple flats.

"Let's go! We're going to be late," Angus nagged.

"Ow!" Desiree exclaimed after bumping every crack. "News flash, Angus, I can't run in these shoes!"

Angus stopped and rolled his eyes. "If I carry you, will you stop complaining?"

"What do you mea—aah!" Desiree yelped as Angus swiftly lifted her bridal style and continued running. "Angus, put me down! You're embarrassing me!" she cried while smacking his chest, albeit not roughly. She couldn't contain the blush intensifying on her slightly tanned cheeks.

"No can do, chicken legs! We're going to make it on time and I won't let your whining get in the way!" Angus scolded.

"Aren't you too rebellious to be punctual in school?" Desiree argued back.

"I'm not doing this for us," Angus mumbled. Desiree realized what he said and remained silent. Her heart raced and clenched against Angus' shirt, praying he wouldn't drop her by accident… or on purpose.

* * *

"You know, Felix, it wouldn't kill you to show off some of your dance moves to Joy," Sadie recommended.

"Uh, yes it will, Sadie. And I'm not exaggerating here. I'll die of a cardiac explosion if our bodies make contact," Felix panicked.

"I think you're going a little too overboard there. We waltzed together when we were kids and you danced so well! I'm sure you still have it in you somewhere. The only contact you'll need to make is eye contact. Everything else is optional I guess," Sadie stated.

"Yeah but what if Joy suddenly leans on me? What should I do then?"

"Kiss her."

Felix paled while his cheeks were on fire. "SADIE!"

"What?" she asked innocently. "It's either that or you push her away and run like you always do. Take your pick." Sadie glanced behind her and saw Joy creeping up on them. She gestured for Sadie to be quiet and pointed towards Felix. Sadie smiled and turned her gaze back to her brother.

Felix looked defeated. But he did wonder what it would be like to kiss or be kissed by her. "Fine, maybe we'll just hug. That's as far as it goes!"

"Do you think Joy is here to hear all that?"

"I surely hope not, otherwise I'll scream. But I do NOT scream like a girl."

"Boo," whispered Joy from behind.

Felix's eyes shrunk and his lanky figure jumped feet away from where he stood. And as expected, he screamed like a girl and landed on Sadie's arms. "JOY!" he cried.

Joy and Sadie laughed at his reaction, but Felix wasn't impressed. His face was red with embarrassment.

"You were saying?" Sadie smirked.

"H-How much did you hear?!" Felix stammered.

"Something about hugging being 'as far as it goes'. That's about it. But don't worry, I won't intervene," Joy answered.

"That's okay. Did you know Felix is a great dancer?"

"Sadie," Felix hissed.

"Wow, really!? Why didn't you tell me? I thought you said you couldn't dance."

"I suddenly remembered that I could thanks to this bigmouth over here," Felix deadpanned. Sadie's lips quivered and tears threatened to fall, causing Felix to become frantic.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Sadie, I really am! I'm an idiot, a tall, anorexic idiot," he apologized while hugging her tightly. Joy giggled and shook her head.

"I wouldn't say you're anorexic… you're just lanky," Sadie corrected.

"I don't care. I'm so sorry!" Felix exclaimed.

"You guys are funny sometimes," Joy chuckled.

"I can't help caring too much for her. She's too sensitive! Her heart is sensitive like thin ice," Felix explained and released Sadie from his embrace. Sadie looked over Felix's shoulder and her eyes widened with surprise.

"Is that Angus and Desiree?" she wondered. Joy and Felix looked back and saw Angus running towards them with Desiree in his arms.

"Is he running?" Felix muttered unsurely.

"Angus, stop!" they heard Desiree scream.

"Angus, Desiree, hi!" Joy waved eagerly. Sadie had the habit of hiding behind her brother whenever she saw them. Within seconds, Angus pulled to a stop with Desiree still in his arms.

"Looks like someone's on their early honeymoon," Joy joked. Desiree and Angus glared at the young Starlight and separated.

"We're not on a honeymoon! We're not even-" Desiree paused and looked at a snaring Angus. Deep down, the Brickman was feeling hurt. He can't believe she's denying this. Denying them.

"It's complicated," Angus intervened. His gaze was suddenly directed to Felix and Sadie's. He smirked, chuckled, and stepped forward. Before he could step beyond Felix's personal boundaries, the taller held his hand out to stop him.

"Please don't punch me!" he begged.

"I'm not going to punch you, you little-" Angus took deep breaths to calm himself. He's not your enemy anymore, and he never should've been. Then he breathed out and shook Felix's hand. "It's good to see you again."

Felix shivered slightly and gave a small smile. "Uh… it's good to see you too, Angus. I-I think."

"So, I'm pretty sure you and I promised something," Angus began.

"Huh? Oh, right! Soccer… yay… fun," Felix squeaked, already imagining the possible negative outcomes of playing such a dangerous sport with a dangerous man like him.

"Relax, limp noodle, I'll go easy on you. The only things I don't go easy on are teachers, windows and doors. And sometimes my dad. He's pretty hardcore when it comes to playing sports like this," Angus explained.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Sadie stepped in bravely between both boys and pouted angrily at Angus. "I hope it's a fair game. Because if you hurt my brother, I'll… I'll… I'll cry about it while… while… kicking your face! Yeah, that's what I'll do."

"That's cute. Threatening, but cute. But don't worry, kid, I have no fair reason to hurt him anymore, other than him being annoying," Angus assured, causing Desiree to sneer slightly. Angus walked ahead of the group and gestured for Felix to follow.

"I'll be right over!" Felix shouted. He leaned down and kissed Sadie's forehead, followed by an embrace. Then he turned to Joy, who nearly tackled him down with another embrace.

"You take care out there, alright? And don't let Angus bite otherwise I'll bite back for you," Joy giggled.

"Oh, you do _not_ want me to see you like that again. In fact, I hope you never act like that again," Felix muttered. Letting go, Felix looked at Desiree sternly.

"Desiree, if you so just jinx my sister and my Joy, I am going to make sure you don't get away with detention this time," he warned.

Desiree returned his stern gaze with guilt. "Don't worry, Felix. After knowing what was up, I couldn't forgive myself either. I promise I won't hurt Sadie or Joy. I shouldn't have."

Felix smiled with belief. After that family reunion, he knew he could trust them. He gave Desiree a brief hug and chased after Angus. And dang he was fast! "Wait up!"

"'My Joy'? Wow, he's totally into you," Desiree teased. Sadie smiled in agreement while Joy couldn't contain the heat.

"I'm sure he means I make him happy all the time. I don't want to get carried away by his eyes, or his voice, or his smile, or his—am I going too fast?" Joy deadpanned jokingly, causing the two to laugh out loud.

Upon reaching the school, Desiree told Joy and Sadie as much as she could reveal about herself. Ironic to her appearance, she despises the color green – green foods that is, not that it took anyone that long to figure out. She talked about how she owns a walk-in wardrobe in her two-storey house, followed by her own private bathroom and sauna, and her backyard pool. She even offered to invite them over one day, along with Felix and Angus. Joy was beyond excited and Sadie was beyond astounded.

"I never knew how rich you were, Desiree! Man, how many dresses do you own?" Joy asked.

"Uh, I lost count?"

"What about shoes? How can you wear them so well without scraping your feet?" Sadie wondered.

"Let's not go there. Practice makes perfect! I learned to manage wearing all types of shoes. Yes, even the ones that are totally outdated and unfashionable," Desiree answered. Then she gasped with an idea. "We should definitely go shopping one day! I mean, the prom is only less than three months away. What do you say?"

"No kidding? I'd love to come! You'll come too right, Sadie?" Joy approved.

"I'll… I'll have to ask my mom first. I've never been invited to go out with friends before so I'll need my parents' approval," Sadie confirmed.

"Fair enough, but hey I really hope you can make it. I'll show you everything! Heck, I'll help you two find a perfect dress for Prom," Desiree proposed.

Joy jumped with glee. "Yay!"

"Yay…?" Sadie followed.

Suddenly, Desiree spotted a group of girls who just arrived on campus. She looked back at Joy, who was teaching Sadie how to say 'Yay!' properly. She gulped and decided: it's time to let them go. It's time to know if they're really her friends or not.

"I'll be right back. I've got some things to settle first," Desiree spoke.

"Are you sure?" Sadie asked.

"Yeah. We can tag along if you need support," Joy added.

"I'll be fine! This is my problem. I'll handle this." Desiree turned away and walked towards her now former group. _I lied_ , she thought. _This is 'our' problem._

Her 'friends' nearly caught her with Joy and Sadie and started to grow suspicious. But they did well in hiding their emotions. Desiree stepped in and forced her usual smile.

"Hey, guys! What's up?" Desiree greeted.

"Hey, Desiree. Glad you could make it. You're actually later than us for once. I'm impressed! We wanted to call you so you can ride with us to school, but my phone lost its signal for some reason," greeted one of the girls. She wore heavy makeup, short hair that appeared to be dyed black from its original color, which was green of course. And she wore a daring mixture of black and pink – her usual getup.

"Uh, thanks, Hannah" Desiree murmured with a hint of annoyance. She never invited her to do those sorts of things yet. She waited ages for the group to let her ride with them!

"You're most welcome. Um, say, did we happen to catch you _walking_ to school with _them_?" Hannah wondered.

"What, me? Walk? As if!"

"Then where's your limo?"

" _Dad's_ limo. He, uh, had to park it outside the school. I told him how you guys felt whenever he would park me up front," Desiree lied.

"Ah, honey, watching you getting out of a limo in style never ceases to amaze me. Your dad keeping you from doing so is a totally different story," Hannah huffed. "And please don't tell me you're hanging with that traitorous Four-Eyes now are you?" Desiree growled on the inside. _No one calls Sadie 'Four-Eyes'._ On the side, she felt guilty knowing that she called Sadie the exact same thing when she was with them.

"Okay, walking to school with a group of ragdolls instead of a limo is one of the worst things any girl can imagine!" complained an overly exaggerating girl from behind.

"I… uh…" Luckily, Desiree was saved by the bell, but left the group before her suspicious. "Oh, look, it's time for me to head to cooking class. I'll chat with you guys later!"

"Uh, sure…"

Desiree flicked a drop of sweat in relief. But at the same time, she felt like a coward. _This has to end_.

* * *

Angus and Felix made their way to the school field. As expected, they arrived early and had the field all to themselves. The field was useful for all outdoor sports. Angus dropped his bag and brought out a soccer ball. As Felix placed his bag down, Angus dropped the ball and drew his leg back.

"Heads up, stick bug," Angus called. Felix looked back, shrieked, and ducked swiftly. Angus rolled his eyes. "You're supposed to catch it, not dodge it!"

"Well sorry. I don't like having balls getting thrown and kicked into my face," Felix retorted.

"Well get used to it. There are other rebellious jocks out there besides me, you know. Now come here! I'll teach you how to toughen up and play hard," Angus coached. Felix gulped and stepped forward hesitantly. Angus retrieved the ball and placed it in front of Felix. "Now, show me what you're made of."

"So… like this?" Felix moved his leg slightly and gave it a kick. Actually, it was barely a kick. Angus wanted to strangle him.

"What was that? I bet a snail can kick faster than that!" Angus mocked.

"News flash, snails don't have legs. How on earth can they kick?!" Felix shot back.

"Whatever! What I'm saying is… try to kick harder. Like when you made me so angry that one time I kicked you in the-"

"Okay, okay! I think I get your point," Felix interrupted. He focused, drawing his leg back even further and exerting more force. He gave it another kick. It still wasn't hard enough.

"If this were a stadium with millions of people watching you fail, then I'd be one of those people throwing tomatoes at you. Kick it harder!"

Another weak kick, but stronger than the last.

"Harder!"

Another kick. It was decent.

"You can do better than that! Harder!"

Another kick. He was getting there.

"Har—"

Another kick. This time, Felix kicked it so hard, it flew and it Angus' face. Angus held his eye and growled at the Nerveling.

"OW!"

"Ah! I'm so sorry please don't hurt me!" Felix cried.

"I should be, but that wasn't so bad. I guess I was in the way," Angus muttered.

Felix cocked an eyebrow. "Who are you and what have you done with Angus?"

"Do you want to waste time playing twenty questions with me or do you want to learn?"

"Both? Because it involves me asking you twenty questions based on soccer and how-oof!" Felix coughed as Angus threw the ball on his chest.

"Let's go before I lose my temper."

Their next attempt was scoring a goal. And this time, it was Angus' turn to kick the ball. Felix held his legs together and his arms out slightly. He was shaking.

"Are you sure this is safe?!" Felix protested.

"You've seen people do it on TV and no one has died from getting kicked from a soccer ball has there?" Angus shouted from afar.

"Actually, there was this one headline where— YIKES!" Felix yelped and dodged the incoming ball. "Hey! I wasn't ready— WHOA!" he exclaimed and kept dodging Angus' every shot.

"This is soccer, not dodgeball, braniac!" Angus yelled.

"I'm too scared! You're kicking them too hard!" Felix cried.

"Then toughen up! What if Joy or Sadie fall? Will you be brave enough to catch them?!"

"That is completely irrelevant to what we're doing here, Angus!"

"Hey, you'll never know! Incoming!" Angus said and gave the ball another kick. Felix froze in place and held his hands out in hopes of catching it. Unfortunately, the ball struck his gut. He was thankful that it didn't go any lower than that.

"Ow," he squeaked and fell to the grass. Angus flinched and ran over to him.

"I think we should take a break… are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's just pain. No big deal, right?" Felix squeaked.

"Don't worry. It's a good kind of pain. I get that a lot."

"Does that include wanting to puke?"

"Wow, you are weak." Angus sighed and laid down next to him. Felix couldn't believe this. They were hanging out with each other? Just the two of them? For sure he thought Angus was trying to kill him. He was wrong. He enjoyed their bonding time.

"How long have we been playing?" Felix asked.

"I don't know. Ten minutes? Class starts in five minutes," Angus answered.

"Oh…" There was brief, awkward silence. Then Felix went on. "So… you and Desiree, right?"

Angus sat up with a look of angst. Felix was concerned. _Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut._

"Yeah, she's alright," Angus said with a hint of doubt.

"But I thought you were-"

"Together? We are. It's just complicated, especially whenever she's around her so-called friends."

"You mean those cool girls as they call themselves? You know, Hannah, this goth girl and that other girl with the makeup and eyeshadow and everything?" Felix surmised.

"Yeah, those goody-goodies. I never trusted them. And ever since they became Desiree's friends, Desiree started treating me different just to impress them!" Angus ranted.

"Wow, I always thought Desiree fit right in with them. She's the most popular girl in the whole school, isn't she?"

"She was thanks to them. They were the most popular kids from year one!"

"Wow. I never knew popularity turned out that way. I always hid in the sidelines with Sadie. We're too chicken to grab anyone's attention. Besides, fame is overrated," Felix explained.

"That's what I keep trying to tell her! Look, I don't know if you know this but I like to keep things fair, okay? What they're doing to Desiree isn't fair! She's like a puppet to them! Once they're done playing with her, they're going to cut her strings. And I don't want that to happen to her, but she never listens to me!" Angus snapped.

Felix sighed. He never knew how intense their problems were. All his and Sadie's high school life, only Angus and Desiree were their main problems. He thought they were the only ones who had it rough.

"Well, then maybe now's the right time. Maybe now she's starting to realize how… how horrible she's treated you. I'm sure deep down she still cares about you. Don't you think so?" Felix replied calmly.

"What makes you so sure?" Angus asked skeptically. Felix sat up and placed his hand on Angus' shoulder.

"Maybe I don't, but you're the one who needs to know." The two stared at each other as Angus struggled to agree.

"Fine. I'll talk to her at lunch."

'Want me to accompany you?"

Angus gave him a 'don't you even think about it look'. Felix's shoulders fell and so did his face.

"No? Yeah, I thought so."

* * *

Desiree, Sadie and Joy made it out of cooking class that day and just in time for their lunch break.

"Wow, who knew Ms. Paula gave us awesome advice about baking! I can't wait to tell mom and dad that I made my first pizza with you guys," Joy giggled excitedly.

"And for once, it's not burnt AND there's no sign of broccoli in the recipe. For once, I'm impressed!" Desiree agreed.

"Yeah. Burning your food in the oven could lead to a serious fire. It nearly happened when I ignored the timer because I was crying over spilled milk," Sadie mumbled.

"Hold up. You cried over spilled milk?" Desiree asked incredulously. _I thought it was just an idiomatic expression. Is she serious?!_

"Yeah. I spilled a whole carton of milk one time. It wasn't even my carton and all the milk splashed onto another girl's dress. She got mad at me and she was supposed to use it. Because of that, she called me 'Four-Eyes' and I cried in the corner for half an hour. While I was being comforted by Ms. Paula, I started to smell smoke. Then I realized that no one was watching my food for me and so it got burned and nearly started a fire if it weren't for Ms. Paula turning off the stove right away. Felix wasn't around that time so I had no shoulder to cry on," whimpered Sadie as she now blew her nose onto her turtleneck collar.

"Ew… but seriously? Was that girl on some kind of puberty when this happened?"

"You mean Hannah 'Hubris' Smith? She's always like that. Thinking that she's better than everyone and everything. I'm glad we don't see eye to eye much," Sadie revealed. Desiree's eyes widened. She's practically the 'leader' of her old group!

"I'm sorry, 'Hubris'? I'm dying at how accurate that sounds!" Joy laughed.

"I know, it is pretty funny," Sadie agreed. Then she turned to Desiree and remembered what happened the morning before. "So, how did it go?"

"I… kind of chickened out by blending in again. Sorry," Desiree apologized.

"Hey, it's okay! These things happen. How about this? Sadie and I will stay somewhere nearby where they can't easily spot us. And if you blank out, we'll jump out and surprise them! Not in a good way of course," Joy planned.

"Yeah, but, what if they bully you guys? What if they bully ME!? They'll kick me out of the group for sure!"

"They only like you because you're rich and your dad has a limo and everything, Desiree. It's teenage logic," Sadie convinced.

"Sadie's right, Desiree! And besides, leaving a group like them for a group like us? That's got to be a fair trade, right?"

Desiree nodded and smiled genuinely. "I think it's way better than a fair trade."

"Here they come! Come, Sadie," Joy gasped and dragged Sadie behind a wall which separated one region of the cafeteria to the other.

"Desiree!" called Hannah, her friends following behind her. Desiree turned and forced another smile.

"Yes?"

"Look, I know we've been making you feel a little inferior for the past three years in our group. But now, I think I devised a plan to make you a part of our group once and for all," Hannah began.

Desiree faked her excitement. She needed to find the right moment. Unknown to her, Felix and Angus were on their way to meet them. Angus caught the group and held his arm out to halt Felix.

"Ow! Angus," Felix hissed. Angus ignored him and closed in on them. Felix looked to where he was going and gasped. It was those girls! Desiree's group! The one Angus has been convincing Desiree to quit all those years. His hands clenched to fists as he caught sight of the girl who bullied his sister a year ago.

"What are they talking about?" Angus whispered.

"Maybe Desiree's about to tell them that she'll quit," Felix thought.

"Shh! I'm trying to listen through all this blasted noise!" Angus hissed.

"Really? How? I must know! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this!" Desiree begged.

"Look, the idea is simple really. But before I say this, are you sure you want to become a part of our group?" Hannah asked for clarification.

Desiree continued to fake her excitement and looked more convincing than ever before. Meanwhile, Joy and Sadie looked at each other with astonishment.

"Wow, she's good," Joy commented.

"Well, she did get straight A's in Drama," Sadie whispered.

"That explains it."

"You know I want to!" Desiree exclaimed.

"Good! Now, it's been bugging me for a while to see you with your, eugh, friend, Angus. He isn't your boyfriend, is he?" Hannah began. Desiree remained silent.

"I'm going to take that as a—"

"Well he is a boy, and he is my friend. Why do you ask?" Desiree blurted out. _Idiot!_ She thought to herself.

"Oh, phew, you nearly had me passing out there for a sec. But what really bugs me is seeing you hang out with him anyway. What do you see in him?" Hannah asked.

"Well, we were—"

"Ok, I heard enough. Now let's go straight to the point. I don't care what sort of relationship you two have at this point. But if you really want to be a part of our group, dump him."

"W-what?"

"Dump him," Hannah repeat him. "Dump your friendship. Dump your acquaintanceship. Ditch every connection you have with him, your selfies, all of it. He's not even worth looking at! I mean, didn't you say you thought of barf every time you looked at his face? I couldn't disagree with you on that."

Desiree twitched inside. This girl is a monster! How did she ever—why did she ever want to be with them in the first place? What kind of girl was she to do that?

"I…"

"So, it's come to this," growled a voice. Desiree gasped and her face paled at the voice coming from behind. Joy and Sadie gasped and jumped out at the wrong time. Felix was so shocked, he found the nearest table to hide underneath with.

"This… can't be good," murmured Joy.

"Angus! I—"

"Don't you DARE say my name! Let that be your last. And let THIS be the last time you'll ever see my _disgusting_ face again!" Angus snapped and stomped away.

"Angus! Wait, I—"

"You what?! You want to break up with me so you can be with them? Is that it?! You care so much about what they think instead of what **I** think? You care about them more than ME!?"

"Excuse me?! Did you just say you were breaking up with her?!" Hannah stammered. Angus glared and pushed his way so he was now in between the two girls. All the students who were in the cafeteria caught sight of the situation and watched. Angus couldn't care less.

"Yeah, that's right you little brats. I'm her boyfriend. I _was_ her boyfriend. And all I wanted is for her to not get corrupted by snobby brats like you!" Angus turned to Desiree with the same glare. "And four years later, I realized how much of a failure I was to you. I was a fool to stick by you no matter how many times you stabbed me in the back! You really think I didn't notice you talking crap out of me?!"

Desiree was too shocked to say anything. Joy and Sadie were just as shocked and too afraid to tell Angus the truth. Felix…? Let's not go there. Angus shook his head and showed Desiree how he truly felt: sadness. It shocked everyone who caught him like this because he never made such a face to anyone. No tears, no glossy eyes, no quivering lips. Just plain sadness.

"So this is it? After all we've been through? So long, Desiree." And with that, he gently shoved his way past her and pushed his way harshly through the crowd.

"Angus, wait, Desiree's not—" Joy stepped in.

"Oh, you're taking her side now!?" Angus snapped, causing Joy to flinch and shut her lips. The smaller man snared and continued to walk out the cafeteria. Joy sighed. She thought this was all over! What just happened?! Sadie rubbed her back comfortingly.

"What has this world come to?" Joy mumbled to herself.

"Is it over…?" muttered Felix, who slowly rose from the table.

"Felix! There you are," Joy called as she and Sadie ran to him for a hug.

"I did not expect this to happen," Felix shivered.

"Neither did us," Sadie agreed. The trio turned to Hannah's group and glared. Desiree was left frozen. She stared to the ground, begging that this was a nightmare she should be waking up to.

"Desiree, how could you!?" Felix scolded.

"It wasn't her fault, Felix. It's hers!" Joy corrected.

"What?! But, Joy, I heard her with my own ears! She wanted to be a part of their group."

"That was all an act! She was just waiting for the right time to—" Sadie paused and heard Hannah roar.

"I'm sorry, what?! Please, by all means continue this lie!" she said angrily. Felix glared and pulled Sadie behind him.

"Oh, it's not a lie," Desiree finally said, her face still down.

"What did you say?"

"They're right, Hannah. It was all an act. And do you know why? In all my years of high school I finally realized how much of a pushover I was to you! Mom and dad were right, you're no better than any of the friends I have right now. And speaking of dad, I lied. I WALKED to school today, and I did it with my friends – my REAL friends! Not some girls who nag me to buy their lunch for them, do all the shopping for them, being your personal dress monkey wearing all the raggedy clothing! You all make me sick! I should be BARFING just by looking at YOUR faces!

"Now, I don't care what you said. I love Angus, and he _is_ my boyfriend! I only went along with what you said so I can protect us both – so I can prevent you by poisoning his mind by having you talk to him. Why else do you think I told him to stay away?! And for the record, Sadie does NOT deserve to be crying over spilled milk because of you! If you mess with her again, if you mess with ANY of my friends again, and if you talk about my boyfriend, my parents, my friends, or myself behind my back, then I will call my dad and ask him to file a lawsuit against you! I'm not the only one who's disgusted by you guys right now, and I have a reputation to keep! You nearly ruined it for me," Desiree snapped and didn't care about the mumbling in the crowd. Hannah wasn't threatened.

"Of course I did all those things. That's what friends are for, right? At least, friends who aren't officially one of us. And do you think you can win a lawsuit against me? Keep in mind that you're not the richest girl in the whole school. I can buy AND sell you!" Hannah threatened.

"Well guess what? Who needs you when I have them? They may not be rich in fashion and money, but they are rich in friendship. And that's something Angus and I have always been searching for! And we found them at last," Desiree argued back and stared at Joy, Felix and Sadie with a smile.

"Well said, Des!" Joy exclaimed.

"I know, I'm right. Now, I'm going to have to ask you and your lame group to leave, Hannah. Now," Desiree ordered.

"You are NOTHING without us!" shouted one of the girls

Hannah huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not going anywhere until I win this my way."

"Very well. If you won't leave, then we will. Come on, guys," Desiree twirled around and made her way out of the cafeteria without looking back. She needed to find Angus. But she was too afraid. Joy, Felix and Sadie looked at each other and followed.

"See ya, Hubris," Sadie muttered. Hannah heard this, growled and stormed away in the opposite direction.

After making their way to the school courtyard, Desiree kept her back turned towards the three. Joy sighed and tried to speak up.

"Desiree?"

"You know," she spoke back. "I'm really glad I met you guys. And… I'm sorry for everything."

"Desiree, don't be so hard on yourself. Do you want us to find Angus for you?" Felix offered.

"No… I think I want to be alone for now. Thanks for being there," Desiree whispered shakily. And just like that, she ran.

"Desiree! Don't go!" Sadie cried. Desiree didn't listen and only ran faster until she met a quiet room and sulked.

"So… what now?" Felix asked.

"I… I guess we should give them some time alone. I would be lying if I said Angus didn't take it as difficult as she just did," Joy mumbled. The trio carried their bags and headed to a quiet room, waiting for a miracle.

* * *

 **That was slightly poorly written. But yes, we met a new snob who was based on the Disgust emotion from one of Riley's classmates- who's from the popular kids section. So in a way, it's an OC within a minor character. Ms. Paula is based on Mind Worker Paula from Long Term Memory so she's not a made up character either. And I'm starting to wonder what happened to Bing Bong. He was probably absent. Anyway, the next chapter won't come in for a while. All I can say is there's going to be a time skip, and probably an introduction to the climax of the story. It's gonna be intense. That's all I can say. Will it get better in the next chapter? We'll see. And by we, I mean you guys. Hope you enjoyed this update and don't forget to leave a review at any time.**


	15. Chapter 15: An Emotional Accident

**An update already? Well that's to make up for the absences I had. Now this chapter, is probably the climax of the whole story. Enough said. What will happen to Desiree and Angus in this chapter? What about Joy and Felix? What about Sadie? Or Bing Bong—or… you'll just have to find out for yourself. And will Felix forget that dang necklace? Find out… again!**

 **And for the record, there may be some Sadness/Anger in this chapter. But keep in mind that Brickoli is still the main pairing here. I'm not changing that. But trust me, the Tearbrick moments are cute in this chapter. Before we push on, review time! I didn't get as many before which was alright.**

 **Guest – I'm pretty sure many of us thought the same headcanon about Fear if he was human. Hahaha**

 **Vicky – I hope so too.**

 **CNBW – YAY! I'm sorry if that update sucked but this one will be better I promise.**

 **HollyAnne- Aw thanks! Anyone would want to have these guys as their friends or siblings anyhow haha and things will get better for Angus and Desiree… eventually. C:**

 **Ponystoriesandothers – Yeah true that… I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far! And I checked out your forum before. I'm not sure if it's fully operational right now.**

* * *

The end of the day has passed and neither Desiree nor Angus have made any contact with each other. There were days where they hung out with the trio altogether, but they pretended neither of them existed. As Desiderio fetched his daughter from school, he grew worried knowing Angus didn't say goodbye nor did Desiree drag him in the car for a ride just like she always did. His face grew with sorrow, which reflected Desiree's current expression. But hey, what did he know about comforting someone when they were upset? Whenever Salome was upset, he did his best not to get involved and blamed him if he was at fault.

"Desiree? Is everything alright?" he coughed out. Desiree only sighed in response and refused to meet her father's gaze.

"Yeah, peachy. I just wanna go home."

"But Desiree—"

"Just drive, dad, please!" her voice snapped, and so did her eyes. Desiderio flinched at her sudden outburst. He didn't need to ask what happened between her and Angus. It's pretty obvious and he didn't want to bring it up. Instead, he reluctantly obeyed and drove them home. As they arrived, Desiree skipped dinner and locked herself in her room. Before Diana could reach her, Desiderio stepped in.

"Give her time, Di. She's had a rough day," he pleaded. Diana would have protested, but she couldn't help but think he was right. Throughout the night, they struggled to ignore Desiree's soft whimpers and occasional screaming while she ignored them when they tried to comfort her from the other side.

During that same night, Angus walked home; willing to hit anyone who dared to walk with him, which was the reason why Felix gave up. By the time he entered, he forced his parents to leave him alone. Being tough as bricks, they managed to convince Angus why he was more enraged than usual. This broke Angus, which scared his parents, and made him tell the truth. While Andy was sympathetic, Angie was ready to throw something. She wanted to call the Greenes to scold Desiree for being a horrible friend… and girlfriend. But Angus stopped her, and isolated himself in his room. Andy and Angie expected to hear screaming and punching on the walls – which was something Angus always did whenever he was infuriated – and they did. But it was short lived. By the time they entered his room, they already found him fast asleep.

But that was during the day they broke up. A week has passed and nothing seemed to have changed. Joy, Felix and Sadie tried not to mention either of them whenever they were hanging out with Desiree and Angus. It was difficult, and it needed to end.

"I can't live like this anymore, Joy! I thought we were going to be friends again. All of us!" Sadie cried. She, Felix and Joy just finished another lesson and were the only ones remaining in the classroom.

"Don't give up hope, Sadie. I know it's only been a week since their breakup but—"

"Joy you are taking relationships way too lightly," Felix interjected. "If there's one thing I knew about those two, it's that it was their very first relationship. They don't know how to cope with breakups o-or even act like a proper couple! And plus, Sadie and I thought they were perfect for each other, even if we were enemies. So to see a perfectly matched couple break up like that? That's not something any of us will get over in even a week's time, maybe more than that."

"I… I guess you're right. Sorry, I don't know what relationships are like," Joy explained. She never knew what it was like to be away from someone she loved for a long time. She's never felt that kind of pain before. Even Felix began to wonder what it was like if Joy left him for a long time at some point. Or worse, what if they got into a relationship and broke up too? These were questions he never wanted to think about. They were a danger to him, and may cause a burden to Joy.

"Yeah, well, I'm going for a walk," Sadie whined and stomped outside the classroom. Joy and Felix looked at each other and sighed.

"You know, I think I saw Janitor Bing today. He has an extended shift. Maybe we can find him and tell him that Angus and Desiree have changed!" Joy suggested.

"Yeah, but, what about their breakup? If we make Mr. Bing befriend both of them, one of them will tell him not to befriend the other and—oh… it's going to be a disaster area isn't it?" Felix panicked. Joy calmed him by resting her hand on his shoulder.

"We'll tell him that too. For now, he only needs to know about this whole misunderstanding we had," she assured him. Felix smiled warmly.

"Okay. You're the boss. I'll just text Sadie to tell us where we are," Felix said and took out his phone.

"Are you sure you don't want my number?" Joy asked. Felix blushed and shook his head. The two grabbed their bags and headed out of the classroom.

"U-uh no… dad wouldn't allow it. This phone is only for contacting family members. I… I've never had any friends' contacts on this phone besides Sadie. She is my sister now after all," Felix admitted.

Joy's face fell. "Oh… well, maybe someday I can be your first contact who isn't part of your family."

Felix smiled sheepishly. "Don't patronize me for this but… in my own little island, you're definitely a part of my family."

The young Starlight blushed at his sudden confession. "R-really?"

Felix scratched his head and shrugged. "I-I guess… but don't judge me please." Within seconds, he was surprised by a light hug from Joy.

"I can promise you that I won't," Joy whispered, causing the Nerveling to blush once more. Before he could hug her back, she pulled away and skipped across the hallway. "Come on! And with luck, we might be able to find my necklace."

"Oh…" Felix muttered with disappointment.

Then he heard those last few words.

"Oh…" he said again.

And he realized it.

"OH…!"

He forgot it. Again.

"OH COME ON!"

What an idiot.

"Is something wrong?" Joy called. Felix's eyes shrunk.

"Y-Yeah I'm coming!" he said before slamming his palm on his head repeatedly. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!"

"Mr Bing!" he heard Joy call. He snapped out of his frustration and followed suit.

"Hey Bing Bong," Felix greeted.

"Hey, Joy, Felix, small school huh?" Bing greeted and grinned at the thought of Felix saying his full name. "Great job remembering my name, Felix!" he commented. Felix smiled.

"It sure is! Say, what happened to you? We haven't seen you in ages!" Joy exclaimed.

"I had those late night and early morning shifts. There were times where I was absent as well. I'm sorry for not showing up as often," he apologized.

"Hey, don't be sorry! In fact, as long as we get to see you, we're happy. Right, Felix?" assured Joy.

"Yeah, and sane. Don't forget sane," Felix agreed.

"Well what are we waiting for? I'm on break so you're just in time!" Bing announced.

"Awesome! And, uh, there's something we need to tell you," Joy said seriously.

"What is it?"

"It's about Angus and Desiree."

* * *

Sadie stepped out onto the soccer field, watching professionals kicking the ball into the goals repeatedly. Before she could find a place to watch, she spotted a familiar figure sitting by the bench, his head hung down.

"Angus?" she muttered. Despite his short height, he was easy to spot. She should know since she's short too. Angus flinched and turned his head. His brows lowered, but he forced a smirk.

"Hey, Sadie," he greeted lowly. Sadie walked closer to the bench.

"This seat taken?" Angus said nothing and scooted to the right, allowing Sadie to sit at the left.

"This isn't about Desiree, is it?" she recalled.

"No!" Angus answered immediately. "I'm sick of thinking about her everyday. I'm GLAD she's out of my mind now." Sadie glanced at his fists and noticed a hidden object hidden beneath it. The rays that struck its exposed regions made the object release a bright emerald glow.

"Then… why are you still thinking about her?" she asked.

"What're you saying?!" Angus denied. Sadie pouted and opened his hand, revealing the object that was enclosed within it. Angus pulled his hand away from her angrily. Sadie glared back.

"I know you're still thinking about her, Angus. Don't deny it."

"I AM NOT!" Angus snapped. Sadie continued to glare fearlessly.

"Then explain the emerald ring," she muttered.

Angus was losing his words. "W-what do you know?"

Sadie huffed with a small smile. "I remember that day. It was a special day at school before the Christmas holidays. Secret Santa day. Remember that?"

"I gotta go," Angus jumped off his seat. Before he could walk away, he heard Sadie go on.

"I remember it too. You picked her and she picked you. When you exchanged gifts, she gave you that emerald ring and you gave her a ruby ring. Even though you hated us, and we didn't like you as much either, Felix and I were touched by you guys. But since that day, we never saw you wear them to school. We were wondered why you never wore them. Even to this day. For a long time, I thought you never cared about her because you never wore that ring – just like you thought she never cared about you because of her friends pushing you away from her. But now that you have that ring, I started to realize that you care about her more than I thought you did. And you still do," Sadie finished.

Angus said nothing and tried to process everything she said. She was right, but where was the proof – the proof that Desiree cared for him back? That's when she added.

"Maybe you don't know, but I saw Desiree carry that ring with her everyday. She never wore it like you did, but whenever I see her turn her back on her friends, when the girls were in the changing room getting ready for PhysEd, when I see her alone in the classroom or anywhere in school, I see her taking the ring out – the same ruby ring you gave her three Christmases ago. She would smile at it, admire it, and maybe even kiss it before anyone else steps in. She even talks to it like that ring was you. That happened since our Sophomore Year began. Since then, I always thought she secretly cared about you. That day you broke up, she was only pretending to be desperate so she can find the right time to bail out on them for you… for us." She still had her back turned on him, staring onto the field in front of her from the distant sidelines.

Angus was still sceptical. He stepped in front of Sadie's view and snarled. "And what makes you think I believe you?"

"I saw it," Sadie answered simply. "It was going so well until you came in with the wrong idea."

Angus couldn't believe it. He unknowingly felt like Felix – an idiot. But why would Desiree give up on them? Could it be that she figured out why they included her in the first place? Could it be that she was paying them back for him and he didn't know? These were pointless to ask now. The past is in the past. They were nothing but memories waiting to haunt him until he makes things right. His face drooped and went back to the bench and sat next to Sadie.

"I… I didn't know. I wish you'd stop me but-" A blank glare came from Sadie, which paused Angus. "But I couldn't let you, I know, and I'm sorry okay?! I should've controlled my temper. I shouldn't have stepped in! I should have-!"

"Apologized?" Sadie surmised. Angus' eyes widened. He slowly shook his head before covering his face with his hands. He let out a silent growl to keep his tears in. He grew up as a man who hated crying. A man who refused to cry… at least not in public.

"Yeah… Apologized," he murmured in defeat. He flinched as he felt a small hand touch his wrist.

"Hey, it's okay to be sad," Sadie smiled sadly. Angus looked at her with surprise, his eyes slightly stained with tears.

"Let…" he sniffed. "Let that be our little secret," and continued.

"Maybe for Felix and Joy. But you can't keep a secret from Desiree. I mean… you love her right?" Sadie asked rhetorically.

Angus froze for a moment and blushed himself. He still loves her. He always has. He sighed, took a deep breath and admitted. "Yes."

Somewhere not far from where they sat, Desiree was there, hiding behind the wall of a nearby gym. Initially, she wanted to get over there and tell Angus everything, to ask for forgiveness. At first, she thought Sadie was flirting with him, which nearly made her change her mind about the Teardrop. Then she overheard their conversation, which made her heart flutter. He cried. He cried because of her. He said it. He said he loves her. And he kept it. He kept the one symbol of their relationship. She thought he threw it away, then again it's not like he wouldn't think the same about the ring he gave her. She opened her hand, revealing the ruby ring. She quivered all over and sunk, holding the ring in her chest. This lasted for a while until something snapped and made her blink her eyes open. It still wasn't entirely hopeless. She still has a chance to fix this, especially now that she knows how Angus truly felt. This day, or this week might be the one to make things right again.

The moment she rose, she overheard three voices coming her way.

"And that's what happened." Joy?

"Desiree?" Felix?

"Oh… wait, Desiree?!" … Who is this?

The young Greene turned around and saw Joy, Felix and Janitor Bing standing before her. She gasped at the sight of the janitor.

"Oh, hey guys… Hey, Mr Bing… was it?" she greeted awkwardly.

"Yeah, pretty much. How's it going? You don't seem… like yourself," asked the janitor.

"Well news flash, Angus and I broke up," Desiree shouted.

"Oh. Still fresh…?"

"It was a week ago," Felix whispered.

"Oh."

"We wanted to make you feel better by telling Mr. Bing about this whole misunderstanding we had," Joy confessed.

Desiree was filled with guilt. "Oh… uh… yeah. I'm sorry for taking advantage of you Mr. Bing… and I'm sorry I let my mom take your village away from you. You would've been a great mayor if that village still stood. If there's anything I could do I—"

Bing Bong leaned down and rested his hands on Desiree's shoulders. "Aw, it wasn't your fault, kid. Those girls corrupted you! You deserved better than that. And all that matters now is that you made up with them. They're nothing but a pile of dead memories now!" he forgave her.

"Thank you, sir," she muttered. "But my memories with Angus must be restored somehow. I don't know how to break it to him after he and Sadie-"

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!? Sadie is with Angus right now!?" Felix stammered.

"Yeah. I overheard them talking about me. At first I was jealous because—"

"HOLY COW, MY SISTER IS DATING A BRICK?! I DON'T LIKE THIS! THIS IS JUST WRONG! I GOT TO—"

"Zip it, Felix, I wasn't finished!" Desiree shouted, causing Felix to freeze. "I thought she was flirting with him but I realized that she was just trying to cheer him up. And it actually worked! Like seriously, does it run in your family!?"

Felix scratched his head nervously. "Um.. it normally runs in _her_ family, not in _our_ family. My dad and I aren't very good at comforting others."

"Excuse me—" Joy interrupted.

"Okay, okay! Maybe a little—"

The Nerveling was surprised by the sudden playful punch he was given by the Starlight.

"Okay, I'm good at comforting people, sheesh! But… I couldn't have done it without Sadie's help. And there are only a few people I can truly comfort without rendering myself speechless. Only… the important ones," Felix admitted while sharing a glance at Joy – who smiled back warmly.

"Right, right. You know, maybe you do make a cute couple one day," Desiree teased.

"No way, I was just thinking that too!" Bing Bong exclaimed with agreement.

"Get out, that's awesome!"

Joy and Felix blushed madly. Before they could say something, the bell went off and saved their butts from getting teased even further. "Okay, okay, break up the friendship fest. Angus and I have some wood tech to get along to while you guys have…?"

"Cooking class?" Desiree deadpanned.

"That's right!" Felix exclaimed.

"But there's no electricity in the school today! Principal Raine said it was under maintenance," Joy announced. It has been announced at the beginning of the week that there will be renovations in the electrical circuits of the school. It's a head-start preparation setup for the Prom.

"That's what gas stoves are for, Joy," Desiree countered.

"I still have a cafeteria floor to clean. I heard Principal Raine told me that some kid puked on someone's lunch. And that someone's lunch spilled on the floor causing someone else to spill their own lunch. It's a chain of chaos! Anyways, I'll see you guys later!" Bing Bong laughed as he turned and walked towards the stairway.

"Bye!" Joy waved.

"Ew… I'm glad I wasn't there to see that. Come on, Joy. We might run into Sadie at some point," Desiree gagged, grabbed her bag and headed for their classroom. Before Joy could follow, Felix stopped her.

"Joy, wait!"

"Yeah?"

Felix couldn't wait any longer. He was hiding this from her for a long time. He's hidden a lot of things from her for a while. But he had to let one thing out.

"What if… What if I…"

"Yeah…?"

"Would you…" Just say it, Felix! Don't be such a coward!

"Go on…"

"Joy, what's the holdup?!" Desiree echoed.

"N-Never mind. You go on ahead. I'll tell you later," Felix sighed. Idiot!

"No! Tell me, please. I'll be right there, Desiree!" Joy pleaded while calling out to Desiree – who rolled her eyes and refused to wait.

Felix took a deep breath and changed the subject. "Will you be my partner for the whole Prom Night thing?"

Joy gasped at his sudden proposal. Her eyes sparkled and her lips formed into a grin. Needless to say, she was too shocked for words. Felix prepared for the worst but hoped for the best.

"YES!" Joy squealed and practically jumped on him for a hug. Realizing she had been too loud, she ceased her giggling and went off him blushing. "I mean… yes, I'd love to!"

"Oh… um, great! I… I guess I'll see you later. Have fun cooking… stuff," Felix muttered shyly.

"And have fun… burning… wood?" Joy guessed. The two shared a small laugh and Joy chased away to find Desiree. "See ya!"

"Hehe… bye," he chuckled. Behind him was none other than Sadie Teardrop.

"Felix—"

"I FORGOT THE NECKLACE AND I AM SO SORRY!" Felix blurted.

"It's me, you stick," Sadie mumbled.

"Oh… sorry," Felix breathed.

"It's okay. Before I head to class, I have something for you." Sadie searched her pocket and handed Felix a familiar item. It was Joy's necklace! Felix screeched and hugged Sadie tightly.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH!" he cried and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Sadie giggled. "You're welcome. Now please put me down."

Felix obeyed. "Sorry, sorry."

"I have to go. I don't want to be late. See you!"

"Bye Sadie, love you!" Felix called, not caring if he embarrassed her or not.

"Save the bromance for later stickman. We've got wood to work with," Angus called.

"Yikes! Where do all you people come from?!" Felix demanded.

"Lots of places. Let's go."

At first, Felix wanted to confess to Joy that he had her necklace this whole time. But now, he has a change of plans. This is the day he gives it back to her. And it's all thanks to Sadie.

* * *

Angus and Felix were currently working on making their own wooden tables – a project for the subject if you will. Angus couldn't help but notice Felix's nose and lips being covered by a neckerchief.

"What's with the silly mask?" Angus grumbled.

"It's not just a mask, Angus," Felix muffled. "I'll have you know I'm severely allergic to sawdust. One time, sawdust came into my face and I coughed violently for weeks! Dad had to send me to the hospital that day. Goodness I thought my life flashed before my eyes!"

"You didn't cough out blood, did you?" Angus asked with slight concern.

"I… actually did. It was like a horror movie and you're the one experiencing the horror instead of witnessing it! I even passed out sometimes. It was that severe," Felix explained.

"Ouch…"

Half an hour has passed, and Angus has finished his table before everyone else.

"Yeah! Who's the rebel that rules the school!? Yeah, that's me!" he said to himself.

Felix smiled and shook his head with content. _At least he's feeling a bit better_.

All of a sudden, the entire class heard a loud **BOOM** several feet away from the classroom. Felix screamed the loudest and hid under the table that Angus built.

"What the heck was that?!" Angus yelped. The other boys in the room were looking at each other, mumbling worrisome comments.

"I better go have a look. Everyone stay calm," said the teacher. Within minutes, everyone in the room started to smell smoke. It was spreading like wildfire and everyone smelled it instantly. Felix began to cough, while Angus made an attempt to comfort him.

"Where are the sprinklers and the fire alarm when you need them!?" Felix panicked.

"Unfortunately, there has been a cruel irony where the electricity is under maintenance! Stupid Prom… We better get you out of here, Felix," Angus muttered. The teacher returned with a look of panic.

"The Home Ec room – it's on fire! Everyone, get out to the " he announced frantically. Everyone in the room gasped. But Felix and Angus were beyond pale.

The Home Economics room… that's where…!

"Desiree…?!" Angus muttered with shock – praying that this was some nightmare that just happened. Meanwhile, Felix thought he stopped breathing. Joy… Sadie… they were… they're still in there! No. It can't be. Impossible… He's lying!

"No… NO!"

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNN! CLIFFHANGER! Told you this would be the climax… or the beginning of it at least. So yes, there's a fire. Did you expect that? Yes? No? Maybe?**

 **Now here's a question I've been stuck on doing. I planned this fire scene for ages but I'm not sure how to write the cause. Does anyone have any legit ideas as to how a fire was caused in the kitchen? Just a heads up that there was no electricity so the sprinklers and fire alarms weren't operational. And the girls were cooking at the time. So if you have any ideas I may fully or partially include, throw em at me! I'm kind of stuck here.**

 **Now this story won't be updated for a while because I'm pretty busy and there may or may not be some grammar errors I couldn't be bothered to fix. But yes, let me know what you think? What will become of them in the next chapter? What will the PARENTS think? And my goodness will Felix ever return that necklace? And how will it all end? Find out in the next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16: An Emotional Rescue

**Hey all! Here I present to you the most intense chapter yet. Someone's life is on the line and I think we can guess who.**

 **CNBW: Thanks!**

 **Guest: Could work…**

 **Jonathan Sharp: Thanks!**

 **Ponystoriesandothers: Sweet… !**

 **HollyAnne- That's what boyfr- hahaha yea! XDD And your idea could work.**

 **Insider Sim – you caught my idea when I said it'll be caused by Desiree's former friends.**

 **VickyT36- indeed…**

 **MindyKalingfan- let's see….**

 **It's a bit sad that I don't have as many current supporters as I used to. But wherever you are, I'm sure you're all still reading this, much less reviewing. This story is coming to an end so it won't be too far now! This is most likely going to be the climax of the whole story… where crap goes down fast. And I'm sorry in advanced for the grammar and spelling errors. I was in a rush as usual...**

 **Warning: This chapter will contain gore. Proceed with caution.**

* * *

Desiderio and Diana invited the Starlights and the Brickmans over that same day. This time, they invited Sam over. Freddie couldn't come and said he was at work. They calmly discussed the situation between Desiree and Angus, followed by random small talk from the Starlights.

"Desiree and her no good friends. You two should have told her how evil they were!" Angie argued.

"We kept trying to tell her, but she wouldn't listen!" Diana shot back.

"Don't just tell her, intimidate her! If you let her go without convincing her too much, then you're not good parents. You need to make her see the truth!" Angie roared.

"Guys come on! We cannot dwell with what just happened," Jolie interjected. "Desiree knows it now. We can't turn back time. For now, let's just throw it in the memory dump and think of a way to change all this. I'm sure Joy, Felix and Sadie are trying to fix their relationship too."

Andy stood from his seat and headed for the lounge. "I agree. I know those two. They can't stay mad at each other forever. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a break from all this drama." Jay and Desiderio looked at each other and nodded.

"I think I'll go with Andy for now," Jay agreed.

"Same here. I've seen enough bad news for today," Desiderio sighed.

After switching on the television, Andy's eyes grew with horror. He called forth his former colleagues without removing his gaze. "Guys, you might want to look at this."

Jay and Desiderio followed and looked at the news with suspicion.

 _"This just in: ten minutes ago a fire has been caused in the home economics building of Highschool HQ! All students have evacuated to the school courtyard – wait, no. It appears that one student and a janitor are still trapped in there!"_

Desiderio ran to Andy and shook him violently. "Turn it up, will you!"

"I know, I know, sheesh!" Andy exasperated. Jay hurried to the kitchen and called. "Jo, Diana, Sam, Angie, you guys need to see this!"

Jolie caught something off in her husband's tone. The others grew with suspicion and rushed to the living room, the sound of the frantic news intensifying in their ears as they drew closer.

"Oh my- is that!?" Sam stammered incredulously.

"Shush! Everyone shut up!" Desiderio snapped.

On video, they caught a full view of two familiar girls screaming as the camera zoomed in on them. Both of them were covered in minor burns and bruises and the sight of them on video nearly made Diana's and Sam's hearts stop. Desiderio froze in horror. Sam covered her lips and struggled to contain her sobs. Diana held her friend, her lips sealed with her hand.

 _"Get in there and make yourself useful! Our friend is stuck in there and she can't find a way out!"_ they heard Desiree beg to a couple of men in blue.

 _"Please! Let us save them! They saved us and we can't let her die! Joy, Bing Bong!"_ they heard Sadie bellow.

It didn't take long for Jay and Jolie to put it all together. Filled with strange emotions they normally don't experience, they took off the house in search for their car. Andy noticed this, switched off the television and stopped them both just outside the house.

"Hey, you're not going without us!" he shouted.

"Yes we are! Our daughter is trapped in a fire and this is OUR business, not yours!" Jay shot back.

"Our children our out there! This is EVERYONE'S business!" Angie interfered.

"ENOUGH!" Diana snapped. "We're taking the limo so everyone just shut up and get in!"

Jay and Andy looked at each other and obeyed, allowing Sam, Angie and Jolie to enter first with Desiderio and Diana in the front.

As they drove in fast, Desiderioo warned the Teardrop. "Sam, you need to call Freddie."

Sam nodded and took out her phone. "I'm on it!"

* * *

Freddie paused from filing his papers, only to observe the following headlines being shown above him. He looked closely and realized where the fire had taken place and who were still trapped.

"No.." he muttered to himself. Before he could dial Sam, he felt his phone vibrate in an instant.

" _Freddie, have you watched the news?"_

"I have and I'll be right there immediately," Freddie said dismissively. However, his boss caught him and grabbed his arm. He was the worst boss Freddie ever had.

"Oh no you don't! You're staying here. Let the professionals handle it," he ordered.

"My children are in that school! You have to let me go," Freddie demanded. He turned his attention back to the television and his face grew with shock.

 _"Hey, what is that boy doing! No, stop! You can't go in—someone stop him!"_ cried the news reporter. Freddie felt his heart stop. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

"Hey, you're not allowed to leave! If you step out that door, you're fired! Do you understand?!" his boss called.

Freddie looked back with fire in his eyes. "Good! Because I have a family and a better boss waiting for me. So long and good riddance!" And with that, he shut the door and drove off.

* * *

"Everyone stand back right now! The firefighters will be here soon. Everyone just stay calm!" said Officer Frank, a policeman who works part-time as the school security guard along with his partner, Officer Dave. Everyone from the building escaped… everyone but the people Angus and Felix cared about the most.

Angus grabbed the officer's collar and brought him to his height. "LISTEN HERE, YOU DONUT-LOVING SLACKER! WE ARE NOT CALM! OUR FRIEND IS IN THERE AND YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB RIGHT!"

"Angus, stop!" Felix cried and pulled the smaller one away. They both froze in shock as two figures managed to escape the building.

"There they are!" Sadie cried. It was hopeless for begging the officer to save Joy, just as it was hopeless for the officer to let either herself or Desiree to save the Starlight. She grabbed Desiree's hand and ran for Felix and Angus. "Felix!" she cried. The boy heard his name and trembled.

"SADIE!" Felix screamed, as he boldly pushed his way past Officer Frank and sprinted to his slightly burnt sister. The moment he reached her, he knelt down and pulled her in for a violent hug. Sadie sobbed in his chest. Letting go, Felix kissed her burnt face repeatedly, not caring if anyone else noticed.

"Felix!" Sadie cried with embarrassment.

"Where's Joy?" he whimpered.

"SHE'S STILL IN THERE AND NOBODY'S SAVING HER! I wanted to save her myself but, but-" she panicked and cried onto his chest again. Felix hugged her back and hushed her.

When Sadie let go of Desiree before launching herself onto Felix, Desiree lost balance and yelped as she was about to hit the concrete face first. Suddenly a pair of arms reached out to catch her, shifting her body as she now faced the figure before her. She coughed slightly, her clouded vision trying to figure out who was staring down on her.

"Angus," she whispered shakily. It had been a while since she got to say his name, and it had been a while since Angus wanted to hold her again. She suddenly realized that she felt like she still wasn't ready to fix their relationship.

"What are you doing?! Get off me!" she protested, her tone changing while trying to shove the man in hopes of being put down. He refused to obey.

"Stop struggling, Desiree!" he ordered sharply, freezing Desiree.

"Why did you catch me? Why are you even looking at me?! I don't deserve you!" she continued to protest. Angus put her down swiftly but trapped her in a hug – a gesture he hated for most of his life… except if it was with her.

"You can hate me all you want, Desiree. But as long as you're still alive, all is fair in my mind," Angus muttered. Her eyes widened at the sudden confession. Before she could respond, they noticed Felix rise to his feet.

"I'm going in," he muttered.

Everyone paused to register what Felix had said. Sadie flooded her eyes as she gave Felix a gesture he never expected her to give: a slap.

"You are not going in there!" Her sudden uproar surprised him. He struggled to hold back her protesting gestures.

"Yes I am!"

"No!"

"Sadie—"

"I said no!"

"Sadie—"

"I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, OKAY!?" she finally snapped. It scared Desiree and Angus to see her like that. Felix expected himself to be scared for he have never seen Sadie so infuriated at him for trying to 'be the hero'. He felt his heartbeat intensify as she continued to cry out.

"You were all I ever wanted as a brother when I was alone! We already lost someone special in our lives and do you really think I can live on if I lose another!? Think of your weak immune system; your life-threatening allergies when you go in there – the smoke, the fire, the sa—"

Felix glared at this and shushed her in his embrace once more. "You think I don't know that!? If no one goes, Joy will die. She was the one who changed ALL of our lives! We owe it all to her. But if we let the firefighters arrive sooner then it will all be too late. And I love her too much to let her go. Janitor Bing is in there too! And he makes you happy, right?"

"But-!"

"Just let me do this. It's my purpose to protect everyone near and dear to me. After all, a friend once told me that if either of you fall, will I be brave enough to catch you?"

Angus' eyes beamed at the very first positive memory he shared with Felix when he said this and smiled genuinely.

"That day is today where I'm willing to find out. I'm not leaving you, Sadie. When I was hospitalized that night after the car crash, I thought it was over for me. Then a voice that knew best once told me that it's not my time. And it won't be for a while. I promise you that," Felix muttered shakily, reminiscing that tragic memory where he nearly gave up.

Sadie's sobs reduced to whimpers. "Come back…"

His lips quivered and hugged her tighter for a second. Letting go and not looking back, he took off into the burning building and evaded the officers from catching him. Sadie's knees grew weak, forcing her to break down and sob. Desiree caught this and rushed over to comfort her, even if it wasn't something she did. When Angus stepped in, Sadie shot him a pleading gaze. He flinched and tried to study her expression. He then lowered his eyebrows and nodded.

"I'm going in."

Desiree's eyes shrunk as she stood to face him. "Oh no. No, no, no! Angus, you get back here right now!" Angus tried to ignore her while pushing forward.

"Sorry, Desiree. Even though we apologized to them, I've always felt that we deserved worse; something even worse than our stupid breakup over a stupid misunderstanding! If I helped Felix save Joy now, I will have my redemption! And I have a feeling that Felix's noodle you call a body is going to die in there before reaching Joy! If anyone should help him save her it should be me," he shouted. Sadie looked at him with surprise.

"But you'll die!"

"And why do you care?!"

"Because I love you, you idiot! I thought you knew that!"

"I know." Angus stopped and looked back, giving Desiree a new smile – a kind smile, one she'll never forget. Behind him was the fire, which suited his demeanor so well. He knew. Like any other bad boy, he just wanted to hear it from her. Keeping her frozen with his burning gaze, Angus turned to his heel and took off, pushing anyone out of his way to get in.

"Kid, you're crazy!" Officer Dave shouted. Officer Frank glared at the crowd and held his arms out to them.

"Everyone stand back! Anyone who crosses this line will get taken down! Understood!?" he warned. Desiree snapped back to her senses and held Sadie.

"They're not gonna' make it!" Sadie cried.

Desiree hushed her. "They will. And if they don't, I'm going to smack some sense back into them… so I can wring Angus' neck for doing something so stupid!" she suddenly snapped. Yes, she was only referring to Angus.

* * *

"Quick, in there!" Janitor Bing lead the way, opened the door to a crowded room where fire had not touched, and shut it with Joy inside.

The two waited inside the pantry and struggled to withstand the smoking clouds surrounding the room. Her only way out had been barricaded by burnt wood, or she thought. The leaked gas formed a pattern for the flames to spread out like wildfire. Olive oil, that spilled on the ground previously before the fire began, only made it worse. She was thankful that she wasn't physically weak. She was glad Bing Bong was there with her after he was asked to clean up the mess – only to become a disaster. Although she waited patiently yet frantically for her rescuers, she couldn't help but sense a feeling of hopelessness.

"It's over… isn't it?" she whispered shakily while slumping to the warm floor.

Bing Bong looked at her sympathetically and pulled her in. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. But there's still hope, right?"

She said nothing.

"Joy?"

Everything went mute, and she trapped herself in her own mind. She closed her eyes and surrounded herself with the memories of her past, where she was always light and upbeat; where everyone always encouraged her; when everyone made her feel nothing but happiness. But that was all in the deepest recesses of her mind, waiting to be thrown away and forgotten. Just when she thought everything went black, new memories came in. She watched each one and heard a faint voice in her own subconscious speak to her.

 _Do you remember when you first met your real friends?_

She recalled that very morning, on her first day in a new school – the beginning of the end of her highs school life. She recalled Sadie getting bullied by Desiree, defending her, and befriending her. She recalled meeting Felix, who was hesitant to shake her hand and introduce himself. She remembered meeting Bing Bong upon her first early arrival with the stepsiblings. And she remembered watching Desiree and Angus revealing their true selves for the first time.

 _Day-by-day you revealed emotions that were new to you._

She remembered when she spilled her lunch all over Desiree's dress; how she experienced fear, sadness and regret for the first time upon hearing Felix and Sadie's confession; about how a simple misunderstanding drove their families apart; the first time she felt angered when Desiree accidentally dropped her precious necklace down the drain; and the first time she felt disgusted knowing that Desiree's 'friends' masked her true self with a spoiled bratty demeanor which led to her and Angus' breakup after yet another misunderstanding and how Desiree's parents bought and sold Bing Bong's village thus ruining his image as a mayor.

 _Even though you thought you couldn't make them happy, they always made you happy._

She reminisced that time when her parents made up with Felix and Sadie's; how all their parents made up and gathered around into a band which she never knew existed; and the many times where Sadie would tease Felix to hint her that he likes her. Felix was somehow at the center of it all. She remembered when they first crashed into each other on her first day; how he shared his lunch to her after taking a punch from Angus for her; how they would flirt during the day and share depressing truths and tickle fights during the night, causing them to fall asleep together; when he showed her his hidden musical talents alongside Sadie's; when he cheered her up in detention after crafting her a necklace of his own; when he asked her to be his partner for the dance after she encouraged him to join the Prom. She couldn't fathom as to why she couldn't make them happy. It was way more difficult than being in her previous school. But what sort of person would she have been if she wasn't exposed to something different – something only reality can show her, something where happiness wasn't always the solution to everything.

 _And now…_

Here she was: trapped in a burning building with Bing Bong, who wanted nothing more than for her to wake up. She snapped her eyes open, wishing this was all a nightmare. Sadly, it wasn't. Neither of them were ready to die.

Until she heard his voice.

The moment Felix entered the building, he couldn't contain his coughing and wheezing. He saw nothing but various shades of red, orange and grey clouding his senses. A headache grew inside him within seconds, causing him to stumble as he made his way through further. He somewhat regretted this decision, but he would've regretted it even more if Joy stayed for a while longer. He forgot how big the interior of the building was. It was a two-storey building that was nearly connected to the gym – supposedly where the Prom was about to be held. He searched the first floor, the lower half gave him no luck. He reached the second half of the first level, escalating the small flight of stairs.

"Joy! Bing Bong! Where are you?!" he screamed as loud as he could, hoping they could hear. Unknown to him, there was a metal pipe before him. He yelped as he tripped over it and fell roughly on the ground. The star necklace he held for too long slipped out of his pocket.

Before he could pick it up, he noticed a strange glow on the golden piece, forming into a single ray. The small ray of light reflected onto the fainted reflections on the refrigerator, the sink, and some of the glassware, until it landed onto the doorknob of the pantry. It was there, then it was gone.

"Whoa," he said to himself. He mentioned Joy once saying that the necklace was special. After a month of skeptism, he finally saw what she meant. Grabbing the necklace, he pulled himself up and followed the ray of light he had previously seen.

"Joy!" he shouted again. The fire grew more violent. His hair grew messy, his clothes and skin were blemished with burns and minor scratches after trying to get through ripped, sharpened planks that fell from the second level. He called, and called.

Until he heard her voice.

"Felix?" Joy peeked from the ridged openings of the pantry. A tall figure came in searching for her. Her heart skipped a beat. It was much faster than before, since it was beating rapidly while she stayed trapped in the fire.

"It's Felix!" she clarified. Bing Bong's eyes widened with surprise. Who knew the guy had the courage to save them in a situation like this! Feeling bold, Joy opened the door and escaped with Bing Bong leading the way.

"I see him! Over there," Bing Bong yelled. Joy waved and shouted his name again.

Felix heard her call and turned to see her and the janitor running to him.

The moment Bing Bong reached the Nerveling, more debris started to fall between him and Joy, causing the Starlight to stop and shriek. Felix held his arm over his face to avoid inhaling too much dust. Luckily, the path hasn't been completely covered. It wasn't the end as more debris are about to fall, willing to cause a boundary between the two.

"Joy, you have to jump now! If I jump over to save you, none of us will get out!" Felix screamed.

"I can't! What if I fall and get crushed?!" Joy cried with terror.

"I won't let that happen! Just jump, and I'll catch you, I promise!" Felix begged.

"But—" Joy protested.

"JUST DO IT!" he yelled.

Joy held her breath and leaped as far as she could. The debris collapsed just as she made her move. Felix eyed her with determination, returning to that day in the field. The moment her hands and arms came in contact with his own, he grabbed all his strength and pulled her in. The debris crashed and missed. The two shifted until Felix was now holding her.

"Joy, are you okay?!" he panicked frantically. His eyes scanned her body and found only minor burns. He would've fainted if he saw any serious injuries on her.

Joy panted heavily and threw her arms around his neck. "Yea…"

Bing Bong smiled briefly until he heard the sudden crack of wood. "Uh, guys, save the reunion for later. We've got bigger problems!"

Felix stared north and began to run with Joy's hand in his. Bing Bong followed.

"Come on! I know a way out of here!" he exclaimed. He prayed that it was still open for their escape. Just meters away from the exit, a pile of wood crashed down before him, and a sudden wave of dust, ashes and sawdust stained his eyes and entered his gaped mouth. His eyes shrunk, let go of Joy's hand, and collapsed coughing violently. Joy and Bing Bong watched in horror. The Starlight leaned in and tried to comfort him.

"Felix! What's happening to you!?" she breathed shakily, feeling a rough vibration in his back every time he coughed. Felix couldn't answer. Suddenly, Joy's eyes widened in horror as she leaned her head down slightly to look at him.

He was coughing out blood.

"FELIX!" Joy cried and shook him. It was no use. Felix's coughs died down slightly and held his pained gut. This went on from seconds to minutes. He wanted to lie down. He wanted to pass out. He couldn't think straight. His eyes grew puffy and his mouth now bloody. His lungs felt like they exploded, and he feared his heart will be next. Janitor Bing looked around, searching for a way out. He couldn't find it in this smoke and all he earned was light coughing now becoming heavy. Joy did the same, but spent most of her time holding her breath. Felix wanted to apologize. He felt worthless, like his attempt at rescuing them was meaningless. He felt like a failure.

Tears streamed down Joy's cheeks as she held the pained Nerveling in her grasp. "You're going to be okay, Felix. Please… please don't you pass out on me, PLEASE!"

All of a sudden, they heard a bang on the wood that had blocked their way. Then they heard a faint voice, "Stand back!"

Joy gasped, Bing Bong threw his arms over them both to shield them and the wood was broken down with a punch by Angus. Bing Bong pulled away and looked back. Joy and Felix formed a grin on their faces, with Felix's being a faint smile. The Brickman caught Felix's current state and his chest grew heavy. He came in too late.

"Angus!"

Angus shook his head and shouted. "No time, let's move! The way out shouldn't be too far."

"But… your hands!" Bing Bong observed

"Just follow me!"

"Come on!" she called. Bing Bong noticed this and followed. Felix struggled to keep up and stifle his coughs.

* * *

Upon arrival, Sam was the first to exit the limousine. There she spotted Sadie being comforted by Desiree. A parade of fire trucks soon followed and immediately took action.

"Sadie!" Sam called. Sadie let go of the hug to see who it was. Too speechless for words, she sprinted towards her mother and sobbed.

"Where's your brother?" she asked worriedly.

"He… he went in there, mom!" Sadie cried. Sam froze with trepidation and hugged her daughter tightly. The other adults followed suit, with Desiderio and Diana rushing over to Desiree.

"Desiree! Thank goodness you're safe!" Diana sobbed.

"I'm fine, mom," Desiree assured her.

"Where's Angus?" Desiderio asked.

"The guy's an idiot, dad! A REAL idiot!" was all Desiree answered.

"HE WENT IN THERE!?" interjected Angie.

"No, he ran away—OF COURSE HE WENT IN THERE!" Desiree yelled.

Angie growled and faced Andy. "HE GETS THAT FROM YOU!"

Before Andy can get through the crowd, he was halted by the two police officers.

"Back up, sir, now!"

"I WILL NOT BACK UP! MY SON'S IN THERE, DARN IT!" Andy protested violently, causing Angie to step in and pull him back. Jay and Jolie followed and attempted to beg.

"Please let us through!" Jolie begged.

"Yeah! Don't just stand there and stop us! Our daughter's in there!" Jay cried, ignoring the firemen that just passed him.

"I cannot allow that! The firefighters are here and will get the job done!"

Not long after their arrival, Freddie came in and pushed himself through the crowd. He caught sight of Sam and Sadie and sprinted over to them.

"Sadie! A-are you hurt?!" Freddie questioned.

"I'm fine…"

Looking at the burning building, which was now being extinguished, he saw a fireman lead four people through the exit. There was faint smoke, making it difficult to see. Everyone froze in silence, waiting for the smoke to clear out. And they saw them.

Angus expected the worst upon seeing his parents. But what he didn't expect was a tight hug from them. He came out with only a few burns, for the heat never truly affected him anyway. Desiree wanted to run to him, but her parents refused to let her go near the incident.

Jay and Jolie pushed their way through the guards and rushed over to hug the young Starlight. They didn't care if she smelled like fire or how filthy she looked. All that mattered was that she was alive.

Principal Raine ran over to Janitor Bing only to notice an unconscious Felix in his arms.

"Oh dear… is he going to be alright?" she asked worriedly.

"At this rate… I don't know," Bing Bong answered solemnly.

"FELIX!" Sadie cried from afar. She finally managed to reach him and brought what she could into her arms. "You promised you would never leave… YOU PROMISED!"

"Oh God, Felix! You can't go… FELIX!" Freddie cried upon reaching him. He remembered the incident, and the fear of being alone… without his true family. He knew how physically weak his son was. His eyes were stained with tears as it was his turn to hold his son. Sam couldn't bear to watch. All she did was hold her daughter.

Felix fluttered his eyes open slightly and touched Sadie's cheek. "I… won't." it was barely a whisper, a voice only Sadie could hear. Joy was released from her parents. The moment she came to Felix's side, he was already rendered unconscious.

"Felix? Felix!" Joy cried and continued to call his name.

The ambulance has finally arrived, and the paramedics took Felix in. They requested that the rest were to be taken in for treatment. They couldn't say no, so they all nodded in agreement.

* * *

At the hospital, Joy, Sadie, Angus, Desiree, and Bing Bong were immediately treated. Thankfully, their injuries weren't serious.

Desiree walked over to where Angus sat.

"That was stupid of you," she began.

He said nothing.

"But… it was brave."

He huffed. "I could've prevented this. I was too late. And now Felix is in there fighting for his life!"

Desiree sighed and gripped his hand. "At what cost? Your life?!"

He huffed again. "Please. I wouldn't risk my life for him. You on the other hand… are the only exception."

Angus was shocked and silenced by a brief and gentle kiss from Desiree. It was a simple gesture neither of them have shown in a long time.

"Thank you," she said simply.

Angus smirked and chuckled. "So… we're still partners right?"

Desiree smiled and looked away. "Yeah, we are. But for now, I'm worried about Felix."

"I never thought I'd say this but: me too."

Sadie paced through the hallway and caught sight of Joy, who was silently sobbing to herself. She looked at the necklace that had been surrendered to her by the doctor, sighed herself and sat next to the Starlight. It wasn't her job to give it, so she kept it hidden.

"He'll be okay, Joy," Sadie announced.

Joy heard Sadie's voice and whimpered. "What makes you so sure?"

"I just know. He promised me."

"But what if he doesn't?" Joy said doubtfully.

"He will. Don't you trust him?"

Those words echoed in Joy's mind and triggered an even louder sob. Sadie felt tears escape her eyes as she held her friend close, praying that Felix will stay strong. After all, just because he accomplished his purpose doesn't mean it's the end… Or is it?

* * *

 **OHHH another cliffhanger! :D So many questions asked… I still didn't get to insert the prologue of the fire because I'm still not sure how it will go down. Maybe it will always remain a mystery. But one thing's for sure, it was Hannah. The next chapter will arrive soon so stay tuned! That or this chapter may be rewritten. Just stay updated. The next chapter will be another time skip and another diary entry from Joy – it just won't be written in her diary. It is locked after all. Don't forget to review whenever needed! Flames will get tossed in the burning building.**


	17. Chapter 17: An Emotional Awakening

**Hello everyone! Nice to hear that you liked my update. And now here's THIS update. I actually had a lot of fun reading it and it was basically a roller coaster of feels. This chapter contains a diary entry, a buttload of references to films other than Inside Out, guest and friend reviews, and memories from previous chapters. So read this story from the beginning to get on track.**

 **Review time!**

 **VodkaFueledMonstrosity – I have no plan on writing new stories… okay maybe I do, but I don't have time to write them. Once I finish this, who knows!**

 **Ponystoriesandothers – nah, I don't mind. We're kind of like 'neighbors' in the same country if you will. xDD I might change the rating to T due to the gore…**

 **Holly Anne- Thanks a heap! Don't worry, I'm not that cruel… or am I? I also considered a part of your idea in the cause of the fire.**

 **Guest – Don't cry! I didn't know it would affect you this badly. D: If it makes you feel any better, he'll be fine now.**

 **CNBW – Thanks!**

 **VickyT36 – Yup, he will be fine.**

 **Frozendrawings14 – haha thank you! Will there be more starnerve in this chapter? Hm hm hm… good question. You wanna read and find out? 83**

 **Insider Sim – Indeed he's a hero… enjoy the update! I enjoyed your story by the way. :D**

 **Enjoy the chapter! The reviews aren't working when I submitted this so I'll try to hold a grudge until I get to see them again. I hate it when I can't see reviews for days!**

* * *

 _Dear legal notepad,_

 _First of all, I'm still disappointed that I still haven't found the key to my diary. And now that half of the school burned down, I don't think I'll ever find it again. It was a HUGE bummer! I had so many plans for that journal…_

 _A lot of things happened lately. And I have to say, I think my emotions are running rampant right now. I don't know what to think and I don't know what to feel. But right now, a wave of sadness continues to overwhelm me. I never thought I'd say this but, I'm having a hard time keeping myself happy lately. It was all Hannah's fault! So, what happened?_

 _Apparently we girls all had the same cooking class together with Ms. Paula. Janitor Bing Bong was there too, because someone made a mess and he was asked to clean it up. We were going to make spring rolls that day so we had to use the stove because the school couldn't afford a deep fryer just yet. Anyways, we were all excited, yet somewhat disappointed that there was no electricity. The stoves ran on gas so that was no problem, or so we thought. That's when 'Hubris' came in to annoy us some more. She continued to insult us on how neither of us will be crowned in the Prom because she volunteered as well! She insulted me for hanging out with a group of so-called 'losers', which I grew accustomed to; she insulted Sadie and called her a 'four-eyed dwarf', and she threatened to blackmail Desiree with all the photos she took of her and Angus kissing or what she considers 'making out', whatever that meant._

 _That's when Desiree's claws came out. Apparently, one thing Desiree knew about Hubris was that she was nothing more than a big phony – a total fraud. Neither Sadie nor I could understand. The moment she pointed that out in the whole class, Hubris got furious and that's when the_ _real_ _cat fight began. And I thought I only saw those on TV! They were literally pulling each other's hair, scratching each other, it was a mess that not even the teacher could break. We were already cooking everything so you could imagine what happened next. A food fight started, so the two just started throwing stuff they could find at each other. And the moment Hubris threw a plate at her, Sadie pushed Desiree out of the way and knocked over the pot behind her. Within the blink of an eye, it was like a wildfire just entered! The area we were all in was pretty distant from the exit. We all tried to save the building with fire extinguishers but everyone panicked, accidentally knocking things over. It was a cruel irony because during fire drill practices, we were ordered to stay calm. Now that the real thing just happened, we all forgot what we learned. The fires were so strong, they started spreading everywhere! And then we realized that there was a gas leak on our stove, which made things way worse. It was so intense that even the ceiling started to catch fire!_

 _Five minutes later, we were asked to leave right away. Our only way out was about to get caught by falling debris! Bing Bong and I managed to save Sadie and push her out in time before it closed it on us. Luckily, Bing Bong and I were able to find a pantry where the fire hasn't struck yet… and we waited there until the fire calmed down. It hasn't._

 _And then he came._

 _He risked his life to save us. And now… he's at the hospital fighting for his own life, just like he fought to save ours. Watching him choke out blood was the scariest moment of my life. I thought I was losing him! And I still think that I am._

 _But just to cheer me up a bit, I thought I'd share what happened after the fire._

 _After the firemen came, the police came in too. Desiree, Sadie, and all the other girls who were witnesses told the exact same story. Hannah was nothing more than a fraud, someone who always played the innocent one, someone who acted like she was the queen of the school, and someone who's a little too ambitious for her own good. We also discovered that her brother had a criminal record, and now she's about to have one too. The result? She was expelled from school and sent to juvie. I know it was something she deserved for what she did, but I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her. Despite this, Desiree still got in trouble for being involved with a fight and having our stove contributing to the fire. Instead of sending her to juvie, they gave her community service until the whole building was fixed. We tried to protest but they wouldn't let us interfere. Even Angus started getting reckless!_

 _That's when Desiree's parents stepped in._

 _Her father was recently fired after his boss found out how reckless his daughter was and thought it would be a threat to the reputation of his business. So, he compiled all of his earnings, and offered to pay for the damages of the burnt building. Even Mrs. Greene was shocked. Before she could argue about where and how he can repay himself, that's when Angus' dad stepped in. He made this wondrous announcement that he's bringing back their business with him as the boss. All of our parents were happy, but no one could beat the grin on dad's face. The funniest thing happened when he rang work and said 'HEY, GUESS WHAT? I QUIT!' in the happiest tone ever. No explanation, no questions. Silly dad… Mom was excited too. Even Angus' mom was pleased! She said it was the 'best idea' he's had in a while! Even Felix's dad was excited, and he recently told us he quit his job just to see Sadie and Felix come out alive. If only Felix was awake to see this…_

 _Unfortunately, Principal Raine had to postpone the Prom night for another month... But our parents stepped in and offered to help out! When she tried to protest, Angus' mom came in to make sure she was always right. And just like that, all our parents went working. It was a start for Mr. Greene to earn at least half of what he lost. Desiree couldn't be happier. Her parents actually gave up everything for her, so I'm assuming she got the attention she yearned for. But that wasn't the end of their generosity._

 _Two days later, all our moms gathered our savings, with Desiree's mom with the heaviest amount, and wanted to talk to Bing Bong. The two talked for a while. When Bing Bong returned, he told me they lent him their savings to help him rebuild and reclaim the village he lost! They wanted him to be a mayor again! Sadie and I were extremely excited. Then he started talking about how he used to teach kids how to become astronauts, riding to the moon on wagons that run on song power, how everyone, no matter how bad they are at something, will always be a winner at anything, and how everyone can just let their wild imaginations fly! Unfortunately, his village was miles away from here, and he wanted us to come with him. Unfortunately, we couldn't accept just yet. A couple of days later, it was time to say goodbye. We shared another hug, our first real farewell, and neither of them were our last. His people aren't done with him, he said to us. Everyday, he would get phone calls from some of his friends in the village, saying they miss him, and he would always say he'll return to be their mayor again one day. That day was today. It was hello for them and goodbye for us._

 _In terms of our dads' business, our moms decided to form a little business of their own. Apparently the café we used to hang out in recently closed down. Fortunately, Mr. Brickman spent his money on buying the building and he and his friends agreed to renovate it after fixing the school. Who knew they'd be so helpful! I'm so proud of them! And I never thought I'd say this but Mrs. Brickman was enamored by his offer._

 _Right now, I'm still worried about Felix. It has been a week since the incident and he still hasn't woken up. I visited him everyday, listening to the pulse of his hand and telling him stories which I know he would never hear, and kissing his forehead before I go. I asked his parents everyday how he was doing, and they would always say no. And here, I wait…. Waiting for a miracle to come. They say if you love something, set it free. I didn't believe that. Not like this. I just want him to wake up. And with luck, we can go together like we promised. If I could find that star he said he wished on every night, I would wish for it to wake him up. It shouldn't be his time. It can't._

 _~ Joy ~_

The Starlight flipped the pages on her pad paper and hid it away in her bag. Before she closed her bag, it slipped from the edge and spilled all its contents on the floor. Joy gasped and knelt to pick them up. She couldn't bring herself to smile that day. She slowly picked up her things and kept them. Then she spotted a familiar item hidden beneath her note pad. She dug through, hoping it was her necklace. It was. But it didn't go with her diary. It was a purple string tied to a three-dimensional paper star. It was the necklace Felix gave her.

Joy abandoned her bag for the moment and stared at the necklace in her hands. She could remember the day she was sent to detention with him. She began to recall what he said.

 _'_ _It's luck. It's trying to tell you that you're strong, independent, confident, and beautiful inside and out who's willing to make a change in our school by showing everyone just how special she really is…! …So don't give up hope, just when we gained ours.'_

Joy buried the star in her hand and hung her head low. Her eyes grew with tears and clutched the star to her chest, letting out soft whimpers. As another tear fell, a pale hand held itself out and caught it. She gasped and refused to lift her head.

"Don't cry, Joy."

 _Sadie_.

Joy slid her arm over her eyes and took the Teardrop's hand. Sadie pulled her up and helped her sit down next to her on the bench. The moment they sat down, Sadie wrapped her arms around her.

"How… can you… not be crying?" Joy asked, still not lifting her head.

"Maybe if you looked at me… you could see how many tears I shed over the past few nights. Bing Bong is gone, Desiree and Angus were punished to fix the school, and Felix still didn't wake up," Sadie murmured shakily. Joy lifted her head, glossy blue eyes gazing onto puffy, bloodshot ones. Joy coughed up more sobs and hugged Sadie back tightly.

"I miss him. I miss it when he would yell my name when I tease him. I miss it when we walked to school together. I miss it when we always sang songs together. I miss it when we did homework together. I miss it when… when… when we first became siblings," Sadie sobbed. Joy felt a wave of guilt and stroked Sadie's blue hair. She too felt hopeless.

"Shh… it's okay. He's… he's still alive. I know it," Joy promised.

"I know… but I miss him," Sadie rubbed her eyes and pulled away. "Don't," she sniffed. "Don't you miss him?"

"Like heck yeah, I do," Joy answered immediately.

"Do you visit him?"

"Only everyday and night. Today has been my twentieth visit," Joy answered.

"Do you talk to him?"

"Yeah. But it's not like he listened… but I wish he did."

"Oh… Do you love him?"

Joy's heart skipped a beat. "Define 'love'."

"Someone who gets that constant feeling of butterflies; someone who visits him everyday and night; someone who showed him how to walk into the light; someone who taught him how to be happy; someone who became the reason for him to become overprotective; someone… who would be willing to spend the rest of their life with him, even if it meant either one of you waiting years for each other to be ready for a relationship. That's what love is… I think," Sadie answered. "So, answer me this, Joy. Do you love him?"

Joy sighed. "I do… but- don't tell him, please. He needs to hear this from me. A-also there's-"

"I know… my mom told me," Sadie sighed.

"Oh… she won't… tell…?"

"Her lips are sealed. This is something only you should tell him." Sadie felt more tears form in her eyes. "You will… come back. Right?"

"Oh, Sadie… of course I will. No one will ever be as close to me as you guys. Got that?" Joy confirmed and rested her head on Sadie's. In return, Sadie rested her head on his shoulder.

"Okay."

* * *

Angus and Desiree just finished painting the walls in the auditorium. The decorations were prepared and ready to be hung.

"Ew… I've got paint all over my dress!" Desiree gagged.

"Relax, it's purple paint. It looks good on your dress," Angus commented. Desiree snared and threw the paintbrush at him. He caught it swiftly.

"Shut up. Don't encourage this."

"Your face is lying."

"Then don't look at me!"

He grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, what was that? I was distracted by your undeniable beauty."

Desiree pulled her hand away and shoved him playfully. Her face was as red as his hair. "Shut up!"

"I love you too."

"DAD, A LITTLE HELP!?" Desiree cried.

"Sorry, hun, I'm busy!" Desiderio called, who was standing on a ladder while attempting to staple the banner. Below the ladder was Freddie, who held the ladder.

"A little more to the left!" Freddie shouted.

"Here?"

Freddie held his thumb out. "Perfect! Right there!"

After stretching over to staple the corner, Desiderio was caught off balance. "Oh no!" he exclaimed. Unfortunately his balance gave in and he slipped. Freddie's eyes shrunk in horror.

"Dad!" Desiderio exclaimed.

"Derio!" Freddie added.

Andy stepped into the commotion and held his arms out at the Nerveling, who bit his lip at where the Brickman was standing. "What's going on here?!"

The echoing screams grew louder until-

 ** _WHAM!_**

Out of nowhere, Andy unknowingly caught his friend. He glared and promptly dropped him. Freddie crouched to help him up.

"Nice catch, dad," Angus deadpanned.

"I know. You're welcome. Come on, boys! I ain't ordering you around to act like sissies! Chop, chop!" Andy commanded.

"Dad!" Desiree cried and ran over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah dear I'm fine. No need to wo-"

"Good, because you really embarrassed me this time. I mean just look at yourself! When mom finds out she'll be furious!" Desiree chattered, causing her father to sneer.

"Thanks…" he muttered sarcastically. Then he was surprised with a hug.

"Oh, dad. Don't be so reckless. I don't want anyone else to end up in the hospital. So be careful next time. We can't have mom worrying," she admitted. Desiderio's eyes widened and returned the hug. It was all he wanted to hear from his little girl.

"Oh, sweetheart…" he muttered.

"Well… I better go help Angus. 'TTYL'," Desiree released herself from the hug and kissed him on the cheek. Desiderio glanced at Freddie, who shook his head in confusion.

"TT…YL?" Freddie asked.

"'Talk-to-you-later… kids and their acronyms these days," Desiderio chuckled.

Desiree observed Angus touching his own hands, with scars embedded on them. She took his hands in hers

"How're your hands?"

"Eh, fine. Punching a burning piece of wood is nothing compared to punching a brick wall," Angus answered. Then he smirked and kissed her hand. "I'm glad you care."

Desiree blushed and immediately retracted her hand with a 'Hmph!' Then she sighed. "I really hope Felix is okay. For a guy to be out cold in a week over a fire incident… I don't mean to be rude, but I think he's weak on the inside."

"He'd better be okay, otherwise I'm going to smack someone!" Angus snapped.

"Not so fast, tiger. I don't want you to ruin those mits of yours," Desiree warned.

Angus snickered. "Aw, you care."

"Shut up!"

"Guys, guys, guys, guess what!" Jay entered, jumping with excitement.

"My son is awake?!" Freddie asked frantically.

Jay's shoulders drooped with guilt. "Uh… no. Sorry, Fred."

"Oh… no, no it's fine. Tell us the good news."

"Well, that's the bad news, I never thought of, done. The good news is that Janito—I mean, _Mayor_ Bing Bong offered his workers to help renovate the café for us! We're in business, boys!" Jay announced.

"Well light me on fire and roast me a marshmallow, that's the best news I've heard all day!" Andy exclaimed.

"I know! Oh, and Desiree, Angus," Jay went on.

"Yes, Mr. Joy?" Angus replied.

"Please, call me Jay. Or Mr. Starlight."

"I think I'll stick with Jay."

"Fair enough." He continued. "Anyway, I've got TWO good news about your prom night."

"OMG, spill!" Desiree ordered.

Freddie scratched his head. "'OM—'?"

"Oh my gosh," Desiderio translated.

"Firstly, because we'll be finishing the decorations today, Angie managed to convince Principal Raine to make Prom commence this weekend. All the students kept complaining that they bought their formal wear for nothing."

"Hmph, too bad. We haven't bought ours yet," Angus said.

"Yeah… YEAH! Angus, we haven't bought our outfits yet! Oh my gosh, I'm freaking out! I haven't even picked out what dress I'm going to wear! It'll take weeks for me to decide! This is very, very bad! Jay, you have to make her change it, please," Desiree begged.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it's already been confirmed. And besides, you have like three days to get ready-"

"THREE DAYS?! I'll never make it." Desiree fanned herself with her hand and nearly fainted. Angus held his arms out behind her in case she collapsed.

"Of course you will, honey," Desiderio said confidently.

"Uh, hello?! You guys will be getting all sweaty and tired after renovating that café! I'll feel guilty if you help me now!"

"Then… why don't you go shopping with Joy and Sadie?" Desiderio suggested.

"Shopping…?"

"Sure! You always wanted to go shopping with friends right?"

"Yeah, plus my daughter could use some advice on what hairdo goes with her dress," Jay agreed.

"And my daughter could use some advice on how to even wear a dress," Freddie added. He felt proud knowing he can finally acknowledge Sadie as his daughter, especially in front of them.

"Dad… you're a genius!" Desiree jumped on her father for another hug and thanked him with a kiss. Desiderio laughed.

"I'll tell Principal Raine I dismissed you early because of this. Have fun telling Joy and Sadie!" Desiderio promised. Desiree squealed and headed for the door.

"You're the best, dad!"

"Yo, Fred, I want you to drive her to the hospital. That's where Joy and Sadie are at the moment," Jay requested. Freddie looked both ways and nodded.

"O-oh uh, sure. Uh, wait up, Desiree!"

"W-wait! You didn't get me a chance to-!" Jay tried to call but it was no use. They were gone.

"What's the second good news?" Andy asked.

"Apparently, I received a call from the principal and she said there will be no more of this Prom elective traditional thingy going on anymore. Everyone will be entitled equally and just dance the night away!" Jay answered.

"Wait, so Desiree and Joy will no longer be competing?" Desiderio asked with a forming grin.

"That's right!"

"Get out... That _is_ good news!"

"Hey! What do I get to do?!" Angus interjected.

"You can either blow these balloons or go shopping with a group of girls. Take your pick," Andy answered. Angus pulled an annoyed look, grabbed a balloon and blew on it.

* * *

Upon arrival at the hospital, Desiree thanked Freddie for the ride and paced quickly to find Joy and Sadie. Freddie followed, but stopped at the end of the hallway near Felix's room. There, Sam stood staring out the window. The Teardrop held both arms and sighed.

"Hey," Freddie greeted softly. Sam gasped upon seeing the man's reflection and didn't look back.

"Hi. You're back early."

"Yeah… I had to drop Desiree off so she can tell Joy and Sadie the good news about the whole prom thing. I can relate to their excitement, in a manlier sort of way," he chuckled. She said nothing. He sighed. "Are you alright?"

"I will be. I just… every time I come here, I get haunted by that night. And sometimes, I doubt myself… as a mother, a wife, a stepmother to your son," she mumbled. Freddie heard every word. He stepped closer reluctantly.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't be telling you this. I only stayed for Sadie to be happy. But now that I'm starting to get used to my new life, now that I was ready to fully accept Felix after all these years, this happened. And I know I love you, but I keep thinking of Salome and I'm just lost right now," she confessed.

Freddie held his hand out and bravely reached for her shoulder, causing her to shiver. He would feel awful for saying she was overreacting. What made him any different?

"Don't be sorry. I had trouble accepting Sadie as my daughter, and I had trouble accepting you as my wife. But what happened in that time stays in that time. It wasn't easy, but I was able to move on anyway."

Sam finally turned and lifted her head. "How?"

Freddie wiped her tears away and did as he said,

"Just smile."

He went on. A small tear leaked from his eye as he pulled her in. "There are things we went through together, things we went through at the same time, and things we went through that neither of us knew about or understood. All that matters now is that you're not alone in this. Whether it's a broken smile or a simple lie saying you're okay when really you're not, I won't let you go through it alone."

Sam nodded and sobbed on his chest. The man stood strong and hushed her gently while stroking her back. "He's alive. I have faith. He's been through this before. He will get through it," came a faint whisper from his lips. Sam nodded again and inwardly prayed for a miracle. Freddie let go of the hug.

"I'm going to check on him. You coming?"

Sam shook her head and walked off. "I've had my time with him. I need to go find Sadie."

Freddie stepped into the room. His face was full of despair as he watched his breathing son lying unconscious on the bed. He moved in closer until he was just on the side of the bed. He stared onto the boy's bruised hand.

 _"Daddy, I'm scared. Will you hold my hand?_ " he recalled four-year old Felix say. He took his hand and buried it in his. His frown grew.

 _"Mom? Dad? I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?"_ he recalled seven-year old Felix say, who still carried his teddy bear for comfort. A single tear rolled down his face and seeped through his fingers until it melted onto Felix's skin.

 ** _CLASH!_**

He recalled the thunderstorms when young Felix jumped onto his lap followed by the highest pitched shriek. _"What was that?!"_

 _"That's just thunder, Felix. It happens when it rains too hard."_

 _"It's not going to burn our home, is it?"_

 _"Of course not. But it's something you should get used to. This is a sign of fear, Felix. Fears don't just go away. You need to overcome it."_

 _"But… I'm afraid something might get me."_

 _"Felix, if you want to see the beauty on the other side, then you have to face your fears. Do that and you'll be capable of protecting the ones you love."_

There was brief silence.

 _"I just don't understand."_

 _"You will, my son. You will."_

His lips quivered at the memory. He eyed his son's figure, reflecting on how he grew.

 _"Dad, I'm not so sure I want to grow up anymore,"_ said ten-year-old Felix.

 _"Don't worry too much about that, son. Growing up is inevitable. And besides, growing up ain't the worst feeling – forgetting is!"_

He let Felix's finger slide carelessly along his.

 _"Dad, I'm not sure I can get this. Playing the guitar is so difficult! I can feel my nerves shaking! W-what if I mess up!?"_ asked twelve-year-old Felix.

 _"Relax, kiddo, I'm a patient guy! There's nothing wrong with making mistakes. What did we agree on?"_

 _"You're right. When I master my guitar skills, I'm going to play the best song ever on mom's birthday! Oh, she'll love me!"_

Freddie stroked Felix's hair, remembering exactly what he did.

 _"Oh, Felix, she already loves you. We all do."_

He coughed out a few sobs as he recalled another memory.

 _"Dad… I don't want to be afraid anymore. I want to conquer my fears. I want to get rid of my trepidations. I want to do everything I told my mom I would do one day! Hearing Sadie call me her brother felt like the hero I always dreamed to be! Does that mean I can do big things for her, you know like what a big brother would do?"_ asked an ambitious fourteen-year-old Felix.

He remembered chuckling to that. It was the first time he had seen Felix so happy in such a long time, though not as happy as the day he met Joy.

 _"Slow down there, kiddo. You still have a lot to learn. And here's one thing you should learn… one your mother never got to tell you: you don't need to do big things to prove how great and special you are; just the right ones. If you do just that, then I know everyone will see the hero in you."_

Freddie finally broke. He bowed his head, gripped his son's hand tightly and sobbed quietly.

"Oh, Felix…" he choked and shook his head desperately. "You're all I have left. If you give up now, I—I…" he struggled to speak and went on crying. His heart grew painfully tight, as if he could care less about getting a heart attack.

"I'm…" he choked. "I'm… afraid. I'm afraid you might leave me alone. I'm afraid of failing to be your father. I don't care if it's your time or not, I cannot accept this! So please… please, wake up."

After minutes of crying, Freddie felt a motion in his hands that wasn't his. His eyes shot open and his heart nearly stopped. He felt the smaller hand wrap around his. The man was speechless, and struggled to bring his head up.

"Don't be afraid, dad." It was the absent voice that took too long for him to endure. His bagged eyes finally met half-lidded ones. Lavender orbs filled with life. His frown finally turned into a smile, a real smile. The younger Nerveling smiled back.

"Son!" Freddie yelled and threw his arms around his son. Felix chuckled out tears and hugged him back. Then he winced slightly, causing Freddie to pull away.

"How do you feel?! Is anything broken?" he questioned.

Felix scratched his weary eyes. "Not really…" he answered with a raspy voice.

He pulled him back in for a gentle hug. "Thank heavens."

"I saw her, dad. I saw mom," Felix confessed. Freddie pulled away and gawked incredulously.

"W-what?! What did she say?!"

"I… don't remember… all I remembered her saying was that it's not my time," Felix answered tiredly.

"I always knew she'd say something like that," Freddie whimpered.

"Dad?" they heard Sadie call. Both Nervelings grew nervous at that point. They saw heads poking through the window and into the door. The moment Sadie looked, she froze.

The two gazed at each other for a brief moment. Sadie struggled to process what she's seeing before her. Felix shot her a kind smile and felt his eyes moisten.

"Hey, I made a promise, didn't I?" he greeted.

"FELIX!"

That's when Sadie ran. She was so excited, she climbed onto Felix's bed and launched herself at him for a hug. Felix expected this, and returned it while kissing her forehead. He allowed her to cry on his chest, for it helped to soothe the pain. Sitting up slowly, his gaze shifted to Sam's, who too cried tears of joy.

"You're awake!" Sam exclaimed and added another hug, which Sadie was still doing. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay… I feel a lot better but I still feel pain in my chest somewhere," he answered weakly.

"Sorry," Sadie apologized whole-heartedly. Before she could pull away, Felix hugged her tighter.

"Don't be. I needed that."

That's when Desiree and Joy finally entered.

"No. Way," Desiree said with disbelief. A grin formed on her lips. "You're alive! My goodness, you had us all worried!"

"I-I did!?" Felix stammered.

"Uh, duh, obviously! We started to think you weren't going to wake up!" Desiree went on.

"I'm not that weak, Desiree," chuckled Felix.

Desiree shook her head and gave him a hug, which he returned. "I'm glad you're alive and healthy again."

"I'm working on the healthy bit."

"Oh… by the way, someone's been dying to see you for a week." Desiree stepped back, only to reveal the frozen Starlight. Sadie let go of the hug, showing the biggest grin she could pull on her face. It was an adorable sight. Freddie and Sam watched the pair's longing gaze knowingly.

"I think we'll leave you two alone," Sam suggested.

"Great idea. I'll tell the nurse you just woke up," Freddie agreed.

"I'll come back for you." Sadie kissed his cheek and jumped off the bed.

"Good luck you two," finished Desiree, who was the last to leave and shut the door behind them.

Joy slowly moved her legs, dozens of tears falling at each passing moment. She continued to manoeuvre herself until she was just a meter away.

"Felix," she whispered.

"Hey…" Felix whispered back.

Joy finally made her way close to him and felt her knees grow weak. Then she broke down with a broken smile. Felix stared at her worriedly.

"Joy… come here. You look awful!" Felix started to become guilty. How long was he out cold?

"Oh, Felix… I'm so sorry," Joy whimpered.

"Sorry?"

"For everything! I did this… it's my fault you ended up like this! I thought I was going to lose you because of me," Joy cried. As she wiped her tears away ineptly, she felt a cold hand touch grab her warm, tear-soaked one.

"It's not your fault, Joy. It was my choice to go in and save you. Don't blame yourself for the decision I made," Felix consoled softly. He stretched his arm out slightly and dried half of her face for her. Joy felt the chillness of his hand on her cheek and held it before he could let go. Felix gripped her hand and pulled her up, motioning her to sit on the bed with him.

"So… I guess you're not coming to Prom, huh?" Joy sniffed.

"I don't know… it depends on how I feel. Besides, a fire happened so it's bound to be postponed for another month, right?"

"Wrong."

"What?"

"It's a long story… needless to say, Prom will commence this weekend."

"WHAT?! That means it's only three days away!" Felix's eyes grew wide. It was a painful sensation since he had been asleep for a week.

"I know… I should be excited but, knowing you're still here and unwell, I'm not so sure I want to go anymore."

"Joy, I don't want to stop you from doing something you enjoy. You always wanted to go to a Prom, right? You should go. Sadie will be there. She can't have fun without you! Angus and Desiree will be there too," Felix stated.

"But… without you… My night won't be complete without you. You're my partner!" Joy protested.

"Then can you go for me?" Felix requested.

"What?"

"Dance with Sadie for me, take pictures of Angus and Desiree, take photos of everything you see! Send me a video of Angus breakdancing or whatever. If you went for me, then it would be a really great help," Felix suggested.

"Are you sure you won't be ready by then?" Joy asked.

"I… I don't know yet. But I can't promise you that I will be. I can't control the way my body heals, you know," Felix answered jokingly.

Joy giggled. Deep down she was disheartened. "Oh, fine. I'll go with you, and I will enjoy it. But keep in mind that I won't be as happy without you."

"I'll be with you in spirit. With luck I might be able to come at the last minute."

"You better if that happens… which I believe it will."

Their moment was disturbed when Sadie pushed the door open.

"Felix?" she asked. "Oh, I'm sorry… are you finished there, Joy?"

"Um, yeah, in a way," Joy smiled and turned to the Nerveling. "So, I'll see you later? Desiree invited Sadie and I to go shopping with her tomorrow. I'm so excited, especially now that you're awake!"

"Wow… that would be interesting to see," commented Felix.

"I… guess I better leave. I hope you feel better… better enough to make it to Prom this weekend. See ya'." And with that, Joy leaned in and kissed his cheek. She immediately turned and left, feeling guilty that she didn't tell him something else. At the same time, she felt elated for she never kissed a boy before. Sadie entered and greeted her brother with another hug.

"I told you I'd come back for you."

Felix chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I knew that. What's up?"

"I just wanted to give this back to you." Sadie took Felix's hand and placed a familiar object into it.

"Joy's necklace? Why didn't you give it to her?"

"Why would I do that? She's _your_ Joy," Sadie reminded.

Felix's blush returned. "S-she's not—we're not even—I already said I wasn't well enough to go to the Prom."

"I know… I heard," Sadie said sadly. "But that just gave me another reason not to give that necklace."

"Sadie! Hurry up! Your mom needs you right now," they heard Desiree's voice faintly echoing into the room.

"I better get going." Sadie gave Felix a brief hug and ran out of the room.

Meanwhile, he stared onto the necklace in his hands. That necklace saved Joy's life. It saved Bing Bong's life. It saved his life. Bing Bong… he wondered what happened to him. He wondered what happened to Angus. He wondered if he was going to make it to Prom. Then he scanned the necklace once more. It was cleaned and not a single scratch was made. He was surprised. He started to believe that maybe it was Joy's lucky charm. Maybe it was more than just a key to opening a diary. Maybe it was the key to something else. He huffed to himself and smiled with belief. He held the necklace in his hand, allowing the small, golden chain to hang against his writs, and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

 **That's it for this chapter. Did you catch all the references? Do you understand why I asked you to keep an eye on that necklace? Will Felix be an idiot and forget the necklace again? Or better yet, will he be able to attend the prom? Well to anyone who's seen my artworks on Tumblr then I freaking doubt it. The next chapter will be a 'girls only' chapter… not just Joy, Desiree and Sadie, but the moms as well. But I might skip to the Prom right away. None of my plans will ever be solid.**

 **And the beginning of the most anticipated part of the story you've all been waiting for since the beginning. Felix's time at the hospital is officially over and will be sent home in the next chapter to rest. And if you're wondering if the dads, Angus and Desiree are the only ones working then think again. They're only working on the interior of the building. The other 'mind workers' are rebuilding the exterior... I'll remember to include that in my update.**

 **So be patient, the end is near, it's coming, and prepare to be amazed with the next chapter coming soon!**


	18. Chapter 18: An Emotional Preparation

**Welcome back! It took me a while to finish this lengthy chapter. But first, review time! If anyone can spot the MOST references in this chapter, then I'll reward you with a virtual cookie. (It's pretty horrible I know.) Ok, how about a virtual donut with sprinkles on it? It doesn't matter. xD**

 **Ponystoriesandothers: Hey, thanks! Yeah I know, it's gonna be a mushy chapter. But every chapter comes with humour and a ton of references from the movie.**

 **Frozendrawings14: THANK YOU! And that's totally fine. If you can catch the references here then good!**

 **Guest: Thanks!**

 **Holly Anne: Aw thanks! And thanks for checking out my art too. I have more Inside Out art in my DeviantArt account, but only members of the website can see them.**

 **VickyT36: Indeed it is!**

 **CNBW: Thanks! And yes, Sadie's the smart one of the group. She knows how to give advice because she's seen it all.**

 **Sydney: Aw, thanks mate! And don't worry, I don't think Felix will forget this time. (Felix: Forget what? OH RIGHT!)** **ß** **Seriously!?**

 **Craig T. Crocodile: Ey! It's been ages since I've seen your last review. Don't worry about that. I know that majority of those who faved my story have been silent reading it from certain chapters thereon. And there isn't really anything 'magical' about the story. The necklace is probably nothing more than a good luck charm. Truth be told, I was actually going to give them powers that correspond to their emotional selves. That was an idea inspired by the Inside Out Thought Bubbles game. All the Emotions had their own special powers and they're awesome. And who knows, more surprises could await you in the next few chapters. This story is finally coming to an end soon.**

 **Insider Sim: Yep, he's fine now! But in the last chapter it was left unclear on whether he should go to Prom or not. (We all know the answer to that. XD)**

 **That's all I have to say for now. Enjoy ya'll!**

* * *

Desiree invited Joy and Sadie over to her house the next day. Joy was speechless, and Sadie thought it was a mansion instead of a house, which Desiree denied. The young Grsene met the bluenettes in the living room with a scroll of paper. "Alright, ladies, Prom is officially two days away. I know you're both panicking as much as I am-"

"I'm not," Sadie interrupted.

"Okay… one of you is panicking as much as I am, but we can make this work." Desiree removed the elastic from the scroll and unwound it. "So I have devised a plan to make sure we are on the right track!"

"Whoa…. I had no idea fashion was so complicated," Joy muttered in shock.

"You insert more effort to this than homework?" Sadie questioned.

"Homework…. I do it for the sake of doing it unless it interests me. But this isn't about school homework, this is about Prom homework – big difference!"

"Alright, Senorita Fashionista, just say the word and we'll follow!" exclaimed Joy.

"Gladly. So firstly, we're going to plan on what dress we're going to wear. Do you guys have any preferences?"

"Preferences?" Sadie asked.

"You know, V-necks, strapless, sweethearts, any of you got the backbone to go backless?" Desiree suggested.

Sadie raised her hand. "Do long sleeves count?"

"Hmm… not really. If you do that, you might need to tie your hair," Desiree answered.

"I don't like any of those ideas. Can't we just wear something casual like a turtleneck sweater, leggings and sneakers to Prom?"

"Uh, hello? Earth to Sadie? Nobody wears casual to Prom! That's, like, getting an F minus in maths!" Desiree roared.

"I don't wanna do this anymore," Sadie cried.

"But we'll find a dress for you! I promise. I'm a Prom expert after all," assured Desiree. "Joy, do you have a preference?"

Joy scratched her head. She couldn't get over the fact that Felix may not be attending the event. "Um… I don't really have one yet."

"That's okay. You can find what you're looking for at our next step: we go window shopping to find what we want!"

"You should've said so sooner…" Sadie muttered.

Desiree rolled up her plan. "Okay then, let's go! I'll just ask mom to start up the limo and-"

"Whoa, Desiree," Joy halted. "How about instead of taking your car, we can ride the bus to the mall!"

"Seriously? With all those sweaty people and dirty seats? I don't think so! Can't we take a cab instead?" Desiree huffed.

"Cabs are expensive and Felix told me that riding cabs are dangerous. Who knows where the driver might take you! And besides, buses are not always like that." Sadie informed.

"Come on, Desiree. Give your parents a break! They deserve it. And besides, if you're going to live on your own one day, then you need to learn how to commute," Joy convinced.

"Oh… okay. I'll bring an air freshening spray with me just in case," Desiree gave in.

"Okay… only," Sadie struggled from standing up from the mat she sat on and laid back down.  
"I'm too lazy to leave. Just give me a few… hours?"

Joy shook her head. "Oh, Sadie." The Starlight grabbed Sadie's foot and began pulling her across the floor. This surprised the Teardrop and caused Desiree to laugh.

"What are you doing, Joy!?" Desiree chuckled.

"We don't have time to lose, Desiree. We might miss the bus!" Joy said while still dragging her friend.

"Mom, we're going to the mall!" Desiree announced.

Diana stepped into the room. "Okay, sweetie, take ca—Joy, don't drag Sadie on the floor! You'll get her clothes dirty," she scolded.

"Oh, sorry!" Joy exclaimed.

"No… this actually feels kinda' nice," Sadie giggled. Joy leaned down and brought Sadie to her feet.

"Well it's not sanitary either. How will you get there anyway?"

"We're teaching Desiree how to commute! Isn't it great?" Joy explained.

"Is that alright, Mrs. Greene?" Sadie asked.

"Well… as long as she's with you two, I can accept that. Just stay away from boys, come back before three, text me when you get there, and-"

"I know, mom," Desiree interjected.

"And don't go anywhere else. If I finish early from my friends then I should be able to pick you up," Diana finished.

Desiree nodded seriously. "Sure, mom."

Joy grinned and dragged Desiree out of the house, with Sadie following. "Come on! I'll show you how fun riding a bus can be."

"As long as we don't sit on seats that are still warm."

"I like sitting where the sun doesn't shine," Sadie added.

"But sitting in the sun's great! Don't you just love it when the rays touch your skin?" Joy disagreed.

"True, as long as I get tans instead of sunburn," concurred Desiree.

Diana rolled her eyes and shook her head with content. "Teenagers…"

* * *

Diana parked just outside the newly renovated café. Of course she was the last to arrive.

"Hey, Di. Fashionably late as always?" greeted Angie.

"Duh. What else is new? I had to make sure the girls leave first," Diana explained. Her jaw dropped at the new interior. "Sweet Triple Dent Gum… this place looks amazing!"

"I know. Andy encouraging his friends to get back in business with him was the best idea he's had in a while!" Angie stated with pride.

It was no doubt she was right. The walls had blended colors of red and blue, with glowing blonde lines and lavender music notes surrounding the building. Stars of different sizes dangled securely on the ceiling next to the lights, each glowing in the dark. There were an assortment of chairs and tables sitting in front of a pastry counter and a register, typical for a café setting, a medium bar table and drink stand in one corner, a jukebox in the other next to the restrooms, on the middle of the far end of the café was a stage, preferably for a band to play.

"Are you sure this is a café?" Diana breathed.

"You bet it is! Isn't it great? Joy's lovely friend, Bing Bong, had his people build this for us! I can't believe it only took five days to renovate," Jolie chimed in with excitement.

"Well this was originally a café. And it was really sweet of Bing Bong to work on this for us, even though his people weren't from our neighborhood. He made a wonderful sacrifice," Sam added.

Diana nodded, feeling slight guilt. "Yeah… I should pay him for this."

"You don't have to, Di, you already gave him what he wanted. All he wanted was to go back to his own village so that everyone will remember him! And you did just that. This was the least he could do for us," assuaged Jolie.

Diana smiled. "I guess you're right."

"We're not going to work here as waitresses, are we? You know how I am with people," Angie reminded.

"Don't worry, Angie. We'll teach you how to control your te—" before Sam could finish, Angie interrupted her.

"I was joking. I know when to go off at _certain_ people, unlike my husband. That idiot," Angie grumbled.

"Oh, I would've known that. But ever since the day you hated us, I started to think you grew more impatient and… irate over the years. I'm sorry," Sam thought.

Angie shook her head. "That's only because I was mad at you, for no reason as it turns out. I'm still sorry for that. I was also pulling my hair out because of Angus! He's a good kid and all but I thought I taught him well not to answer back at me or Andy whenever we tell him off! He's stubborn!"

"Well, we all know where he got that from," Jolie teased.

"Don't push it, Jo," Angie snared.

"I was thinking about Andy," Jolie lied.

Angie rolled her eyes and went to the counter. "Yeah, sure. So, who's up for a latte?"

The other mothers exchanged looks and muttered in agreement.

* * *

The girls finished their window shopping during that same hour, trying on dresses left and right and promising their preferable store owners they'll return. Already tired, Sadie declared a short break. The trio went to the nearest food court to relax.

Sadie slammed her head on the table and whined. "I'm beat. Don't you ever get tired when you go shopping, Desiree?"

"It's worth every step and stare," Desiree answered.

"I don't like it. I just passed by a bookstore for the first time! I never just pass a bookstore. Never!" Sadie cried.

"Why didn't you tell us you wanted to go there?" Joy asked.

"I don't know. That's not what we're focusing on I guess. I don't like to tell people where I want to go. It's just that my family always goes there when we go out," Sadie explained.

"I'm sorry. Tell you what, we'll go to that bookstore and we'll make sure we buy something there!" Joy suggested. Desiree nodded in agreement. Sadie lifted her head with a smile and hugged her.

"Oh thank you, Joy!"

"Anytime, pal."

"Alright, ladies. Has anyone had their eyes set out on one dress? I'm totally going for that emerald green one I just saw. What about you, Joy?" Desiree questioned.

"I think so," Joy muttered. "I saw this one dress that looked like a star. I think I'll go for that one."

"Oh, I think that suits you as well!" Desiree agreed.

Joy looked around the stalls and felt her mouth water. "Actually, I'll go buy us some grub. Does anyone want anything? Does a pizza sound good?"

"Definitely. As long as there's no broccoli in it! Or pineapples. I can't stand those on pizzas! Even Angus hates it. He thinks it was made by real Hawaiians," Desiree scoffed.

"Oh, Angus," Joy laughed. "Are you okay with pizza, Sadie?"

"I guess."

"Great! I'll be right back!"

Desiree shook her head with content and turned to the Teardrop. "What about you, Sadie?"

"Not really," Sadie half-lied. "I mean, I don't know. There's this one dress I could wear, but I'll have to wear some kind of shawl over it or something."

"Is it that really cute-looking blue one we saw?"

"I-I guess. It's cheap and simple too. But I don't know if I want to get that," Sadie sighed.

Desiree frowned. "Come on, Sadie, we need to get home soon. Dresses aren't the only thing we need to look for." She reached for her purse and took out her phone. "One sec. I got a text:

"' _Hey, Des, guess who's going to perform at Prom in two days? That's right, it's the one and only boy band you love, P5YCH is going to perform their best hits on stage_ '?! No way!" Desiree squealed. Sadie's eyes widened.

"P5YCH!? That's like the most underrated band ever. I love P5YCH!" Sadie squealed.

"Get out! I didn't know you knew them!" Desiree gasped.

"Heck yeah, I know them! They used to be called The Jordans or The Imaginary Brothers, but I think P5YCH was a creative idea."

"Wow, you know way more about them than I do! Tell me who the members are. Go on, I wanna hear their names!"

Sadie's grin grew wider as she answered. "Dean, Shane, Flint, Armand and—"

"Jojo! OH, they were the best!" Desiree screamed. Neither of them cared about the people who heard them as they went on squealing.

"What's your favorite song?" Desiree went on.

"That would be: 'I Would Die For You'."

Desiree screamed again. "I LOVE that song!"

"I have pizza! It looks like you two are getting along well," Joy interjected and placed the small box on the table.

"Thanks, Joy. It turns out Sadie and I love the same boy band. Isn't that great?" Desiree announced.

"Wow, really?"

"Yes! Didn't you hear us screaming?" Sadie reminded.

"Uh, not really."

"Aw, looks like someone's too busy thinking about a certain dork. Can we say, tall, 'dark' and handsome?" Desiree teased. Joy blushed. _'How did she know that?'_

"I thought you were talking about Felix," Sadie mumbled obliviously.

"I was. Otherwise I'd be referring to short, 'friendly', and hot enough to say 'I lava you.'"

"Uh…"

"I just talked about Angus, like duh," Desiree sighed.

"Alright, less talk more nom," Joy intervened and opened the box.

"Margherita… I like it. It looks mediocre, but it'll do," Desiree approved and took a slice.

"Thank you, Joy," said Sadie.

"It's no trouble. So, are we going to buy those dresses or what?" Joy asked.

"I'm getting that dress. That band just became another reason why I want to go to Prom now," Sadie confirmed.

"What about Felix? He's coming right?"

Sadie saddened. "Um… I don't know about that yet. But he convinced me to go because you're going to be there. I hope he feels better by the time I get home. This morning, mom and dad took him home from the hospital."

"Okay, good. And I hope so too. I really want him to come."

"We'll worry about him later. Right now, let's just focus on looking our best," said Desiree.

"Wait, who sent you that text?" Sadie wondered.

"Angus. He hates boy bands. It's one of the things he hates, which is almost everything," Desiree answered.

"I'm not too keen on boy bands either. I get all squeamish when they sing about mushy metaphors and whatnot," Joy cringed.

"Oh, bummer," Desiree sighed and bit off her slice.

"Yeah. Felix hates boy bands too. He thinks they're just some phase," Sadie stated.

"Well that's one thing we have in common."

The rest of their meal went on quietly. The moment they finished, Desiree slammed her hand on the table.

"ALRIGHT, GIRLS! Back to work," she ordered.

"But… we're shopping, not working," Sadie corrected.

"That's exactly what I meant! We better get those dresses before someone who isn't as pretty as us buys them before we do," Desiree went on.

"Oh come on, Desiree, your ego can't be _that_ big," chuckled Joy.

"It is when it comes to buying clothes that look the best on me. Are you in?"

Joy pumped her fist in the air. "Yeah!"

Sadie raised her hand with enthusiasm. "Me too!"

"Then let's get shopping!"

Time flew, and so did their allowances. They spent their money on their dresses, Joy and Sadie found their shoes to wear since Desiree already has her own wardrobe full of them, they went to various salons to find suitable hairstyles recommended for their outfits, and they finally visited that bookstore Sadie wanted to enter since their arrival.

"Reading is not my forte, but for some reason I feel peaceful when I'm here," Desiree breathed.

Joy inhaled. "I know. Smell that? That's the smell of knowledge just waiting to—"

"All I can smell is paper," Desiree interrupted.

"Let's look around. Mrs. Greene will be here to pick us up soon," Sadie said frantically.

"Alright. We'll spread out, but make sure we meet each other at this exact spot in ten minutes. Oh my gosh I sound like a mom," Desiree groaned. Joy and Sadie laughed.

"Whatever you say, 'mom'," Joy teased and gave a giggling Sadie a shove.

"Just, no."

The trio spread out across the aisles. Joy later stumbled upon an aisle filled with arts and crafts materials. Sadie noticed her scanning through the shelves and entered.

"You know, Felix and I used to go here a lot. We'd buy papers and ribbons, glitter glues and assorted stickers. He only got into arts and crafts because of me."

"So that's why he's so good at making me that necklace," Joy realized.

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "Necklace?"

"Oh… yeah, you were absent that day. Remember when Felix and I got detention?"

"I don't want to remember that…"

"Well, I was very upset and very frustrated at what Desiree did to me that day… then Felix cheered me up and made me that necklace as a reminder that I am pretty lucky… or special. But that's all in the past now! I have you, I have him, I have Desiree and Angus now. I don't need a good luck charm like that necklace I lost anymore."

Before Sadie could speak, Desiree overheard the conversation and stepped in with remorse. "I'm still sorry about losing your necklace that day. I really did take it too far that time. I was a massive snob, wasn't I?"

"Ah… it's not _all_ your fault. Everything we said and did is just a memory now! At least we don't have to go through it again," Joy smiled. Then she eyed on a small plastic bag containing a purple silk with a lavender spiral on it. She grinned and picked it up.

"Guess I have to return the favor. I think my work here is done. Do you guys have anything else to buy?" Joy asked.

"I'd love to, but nothing here seems to convince me to take it," Desiree answered.

"I don't have any money," Sadie cried.

"Wanna borrow mine?" Joy asked.

"No!" Sadie immediately answered.

Joy flinched and shrugged, then headed to the counter. As the trio exited the mall, they saw Diana waiting for them.

"So, did you girls have fun?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, did we ever!" Desiree answered zealously.

"Great day today! I'm officially excited for Prom," Joy added.

"That was fun. I guess," Sadie mumbled.

"Good! Now follow me and I'll drive you all home," Diana commanded. The girls nodded and obeyed. Not one negative outcome was carried out that day.

* * *

The day after, Jay, Andy, Fred, and Desiderio leaned back against each other, sleeping. They had been working all night on making the finishing touches of the Prom room. Angus stayed up and refused to rest until the work was done. Feeling cranky and tedious, Angus snatched an alarm clock from Mr. Jangles room and turned the hands. The alarm set off, causing the sleeping fathers to jump from their slumber.

"Wake up, daddies. We're done," Angus nagged.

"Can't it wait a few hours more?" Andy groaned.

Jay's eyes widened at what he saw. "Those few hours will have to wait, Andy. He's right, we are finished!"

"Finished with what?" Andy then received a slap from Desiderio to fully awake him.

"The gym, ya brick wall! We did it!" Desiderio snapped.

"Sweet Triple Dent Gum..." Andy exclaimed softly.

"Did we somehow finish this in our sleep?" Freddie yawned.

"No. I finished it! You're welcome," Angus yelled.

"That's my boy!" Andy congratulated.

"Thank heavens we're done. Now I can finally get some beauty sleep around here!" Desiderio sighed.

The doors suddenly burst open, letting in the newly renounced mayor, Bing Bong, followed by Principal Raine, Mr. Jangles, and a few of the workers who repaired the exterior of the school.

"Wow, this place looks great! The streamers and banners were hung perfectly, the tables are all set, and would you look at that dance floor! People will be fighting for that. I love the stage setup too!" Bing Bong commented.

"Well we do pride ourselves in the fields of music, and stage organizations," Andy boasted.

"You really did work hard to make this event come to life. Thank you so much for volunteering!" Principal Raine complimented.

"Aw, anything for the welfare of our children," Jay replied.

"You should thank Angus. He's the one who decorated majority of the place! Turns out we're a little too old for this job," Freddie chuckled.

"Again, you're welcome," Angus huffed.

"Oh, it doesn't matter who did the most work! In fact, I'm going to reward you all handsomely for helping out with this school. How does five grand each sound?"

"Whoa, that's a little too much there," Freddie said.

"I think it's a fair deal. Thank you, Mr. Mayor," Desiderio approved.

"Aw anything for my friends and their families."

"We're going to have to ask you to leave soon too. We had a meeting with a band who will perform here tomorrow night and we'll be touring them in this room in half an hour," Principal Raine announced. She later left along with Bing Bong, Joe Jangles, and the other workers.

"Alright. Thanks for informing us," Freddie said and checked his watch. "Now, I have to get home. Apparently, Sam's got some good news for me."

"Oh, do spill," Desiderio encouraged.

"Sorry, it's a family thing. I'll see you guys tomorrow… in our new café!" Freddie said before exiting the room.

"Oh snap! I almost forgot that existed," Jay exclaimed.

"Relax. The ladies got that covered. I can still remember the day we met them," Andy chuckled. Jay and Desiderio sighed at the thought.

"Ahem. Now that this charade is over… how on earth am I going to get a tuxedo in less than a day!?" Angus shouted.

"Relax, son. I got just the one for you," said Andy.

"Really? You mean that seventies disco outfit? Is that going to come with an afro wig and killer side burns? Actually, the side burns would make a good touch." Angus grumbled.

"No, ya' ding dong! I've got an old clack suit sitting in my closet. It never goes out of style."

"And how do you know that?"

"Easy. This Preppy suggested it to me," answered Andy, referring to Desiderio.

Desiderio snickered. "You're welcome." Then his face grew with annoyance. "W-wait who are you calling 'Preppy'?!"

"We better leave now. I want to see how Joy looks in a Prom dress. I'll bet she looks stunning as always! She gets that from her mother. I'd better go. Last one out is an old geezer!" Jay laughed, took out his car keys, and left the gym.

"Wow, even to this day, he's such a child sometimes," Desiderio commented. Then his daughter clicked into his mind. "Oh, that' reminds me! I need to check on Desiree. We'll be having one of those daddy-daughter moments we used to share. Later, old geezer," he jokingly farewelled to Andy.

"That son of a gun," Andy mumbled. Angus crossed his arms impatiently.

"What are we waiting for? I want to go home."

"Oh, right. I'll bet that suit will look good on you," said Andy as he and his son walked out the gym.

"I didn't say that because of the suit. I just want to sleep!"

* * *

The day has arrived. It was finally it. Every student of the school was informed three days ago that Prom would officially commence on that night. They were ready. Or was everyone ready? It's only daytime. They had hours to get ready. Joy stopped by at the TearDrop/Nerveling's home that morning with an object in her hands. Freddie answered the door and was greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Nerveling! May I see Felix today?"

"Oh hey, Joy! No, sorry. Sadie's getting ready in the living room and she doesn't want anyone to come in the house."

"Oh… but, is Felix going to come tonight?" Joy asked shakily.

Freddie sighed and shook his head solemnly. "I'm afraid not. It takes more than two weeks to recover. If anything he might be better next week. I'm so sorry, Joy."

Joy's face fell. It broke the Nerveling's heart to see her upset. "Alright… but Sadie better come!"

"Oh she will. In fact, she's excited! It scared the heck out of me yesterday," Freddie laughed in hopes of cheering her up.

"That's good! So, I'll see her tonight?"

"Definitely. She wouldn't miss it."

Before Joy could leave, she opened her hand and placed an object in Freddie's hand. It was a purple bowtie with a lavender spiral in the center. "By the way, I want Felix to have this. I don't know how to thank him for helping me, so I made it."

"You made it? I didn't know you could do arts in crafts! Did my son teach you?"

Joy shrugged with a smile. "I was taught by the best."

"You're such a sweet girl. I'll make sure Felix takes a look at it."

"Thanks! I'd better go. My mom's taking me to Desiree's place for a makeover. I'll see Sadie tonight! Tell Felix I miss him," Joy said then left. Freddie waved and shut the door. Sighing, he entered Felix's room and shook his head.

"That was difficult. You know son, I don't even know how you did it, but I really wish I told Joy the truth."

Right in front of him was his son, staring at the mirror while trying to find the right hairstyle. He was no longer in bed.

"Yeah well, sometimes all you need is luck, dad. Heck, even I'm surprised too."

"I know! Are you sure you feel better, or are you just saying that to get closer to Joy tonight? I don't want you to pass out in public," Freddie teased.

Felix turned around. "I told you, dad, it's like some miracle-worker or guardian angel came in and healed me on the spot! I became myself again in just one week! And that's really saying something."

"Indeed it is. It soothes my nerves to know you feel better. Just don't go near anymore sawdust. Got it?"

"Yeah, dad—"

"Or bees, red ants, tulips, daisies, all types of nuts-"

"I know, dad! It was a crucial moment. I wouldn't dare to even inhale any of that stuff anyway."

"I know you wouldn't. So, have you figured out what hairstyle you'll stick with?" Freddie asked.

Felix turned towards the mirror and pouted. "No… I've been fiddling with it for hours and I'm wasting hair gel on styles that don't even suit me! Can you give me a minute?"

Freddie chuckled. "Sure son. Oh, and by the way: Joy said she misses you and made you this. She said she was taught by 'the best'." He winked, left the bowtie on the table and left the room. Felix slowly turned his head and reached for the silk accessory. The spiral looked just like that one strand of hair that always stuck out on his head.

 _'Did she really make this for me?'_ Felix smiled softly and brought the bowtie to his neck. "Well, it does suit me, and it does go well with the tuxedo dad gave me."

He eyed the lavender spiral design once more. Then he looked at his hair. Everything clicked and he grew an idea. "Ms. Starlight, you have a really creative way of inspiring me."

He flipped his brush in the air and went to work.

* * *

Tonight was it. It was the day that always got postponed and finally came. While Desiree's limousine was on her way, Sadie just got out of her room with her new outfit. She wore a dark cyan dress with a cerulean shawl and a belt with a tear-shaped buckle in the center. Her hair stayed the same, only the ends were curled slightly. She wore basic makeup such as blush, lipstick and a touch of eyeliner. Hidden beneath her hair were a pair of baby blue teardrop earrings. In other words, she looked stunning. And underneath her dress she wore a pair of ocean blue, half-inch pumps. **(I'm just improvising here. I'm not good with fashion in general.)**

"Oh, Sadie, you look like an angel!" Sam squealed.

"Yeah… a weeping angel," Sadie mumbled shyly.

"Freddie, Felix, come look!"

Freddie came out of Felix's room and caught sight of Sadie's new appearance.

"Whoa, Sadie! Looking good," Freddie commented.

"T-thanks… I guess," Sadie squeaked.

"Something like this needs some photos! I'll get the camera," Freddie said and rushed to his room.

"What? Dad, no! I look too weird for photos," Sadie cried.

"Now, now, we don't want any tears on your makeup. And this is the one night where you have no excuse to comment on yourself. You look stunning! You'll always look beautiful no matter what," Sam promised.

Sadie gave her a small smile. "Thanks, mom." Freddie returned with the camera. "Dad, where's Felix?"

"Oh, I'm still helping him out. Sort of. He doesn't want anyone to see him yet. Now hold still. Your mom and I want to make some memories of you and Felix," Freddie requested. "Smile!"

Believe it or not, Sadie did just that. Freddie looked at the photo and smiled.

"That's a keeper! And remember the plan: don't tell Joy, or anyone, he's coming. Got it?"

"Since when have I not?" Sadie said with a new feeling of confidence.

"That's my girl!"

A few knocks were heard and Sam answered the door. Outside was Desiderio with the limousine parked outside.

"Good evening, Sam. I'm afraid I'll have to pick up- whoa, Sadie, is that you?" he greeted astonishingly.

Sadie smiled shyly. "Hello."

"Thanks for picking her up for us, Derio. Now you be careful while driving. At least I can trust you to take my daughter along with yours," Sam thanked.

"Ah, it's no big deal. We're friends now! Desiree doesn't want to come out. Not that she's mean or anything, she just doesn't want to ruin her look. Fussy girl."

"Hey, Derio! Glad you're picking her up tonight. Tell Desiree I don't want her to introduce my little girl to a boy. No one will ever be good enough for her!" Freddie informed.

"Dad…" Sadie complained.

"It's true. If Salome was here then he'd tell that boy to go to jail!" Freddie continued.

"Oh yeah, that sounds just like him!" Sam laughed.

"Come on, kiddo, Desiree's waiting for you. Angus isn't with us. He's got his parents to take him there. Follow me," Desiderio spoke calmly. Sadie nodded and followed.

"Bye, honey! Enjoy your night! We'll pick you up half an hour before midnight," Freddie called.

"We love you!" Sam added.

"I love you too!" Sadie called back before entering the limo along with Desiderio. The couple waved until they left and shut the door.

"Alright! Plan one: success," Freddie claimed.

"You are a madman," Sam joked.

"Oh stop, you'll make my nerves jolt."

"Uh, hello. How do I look?" said a voice. Freddie and Sam paused and looked at the lanky figure standing before them. Freddie had the biggest grin and Sam's jaw dropped with surprise, and so did her glasses. And in that boy's hand was a necklace that got tucked securely in his pocket.

"Felix?! Is that you?"

* * *

 **OH MY GLOB, YOU GUYS! IT'S HAPPENING! IT'S REALLY HAPPENING! Everything is all going according to plan. *evil la-* I mean, yay! So, what did you think of this chapter? Cliché? Hilarious? Weird? Amazing? Cringy? Yes, we already considered those. I felt like I should've channelled my inner feminine instincts when I described the girls' shopping day. Then again, that would be a waste of words and it may bore you.**

 **So, I added some new characters in there. The band members of a name I made up: P5YCH. Can you guess whose emotions they belong to? I'm sure they're obvious. But I bet you're thinking: "Oh no, please don't tell me I'll be forced to read cliché song lyrics from famous boy bands…" The answer to that is a big N-O. First of all, why in my right mind would I do that? It kind of ruins the moments, ya know. And second of all, writing song lyrics is AGAINST the Fanfiction rules. I don't want to get flamed for it again. However, the songs will be mentioned in the story. No lyrics will be added. Nopity nope, nope. Do I hear sighs of relief? Good. And just so you know, I'm like Sadie who enjoys underrated songs from underrated artists… and anything good that deserves more attention. But what am I saying? Songs aren't even the main idea of this whole story! So, I'm not going to focus on that. The next chapter will be just about Riley's Emotions. The parents have no role in that.**

 **Keep in mind that this story will officially end in DECEMBER! I know it seems like a long time, but it's not really. When will the next chapter arrive? Hopefully weeks later, or a month later as almost always. Got any questions? My PM is always open. The next chapter is going to be the best one yet! Or will it? :o**

 **If you don't get what the characters look like in their Prom outfits, then just look at the cover of my story. It's all there. Stay tuned from the next chapter and have a great day/night!**


	19. Chapter 19: An Emotional Prom Night

**An early update? That's strange, but fortunate! But anyways… what. Even?**

 **Two hundred reviews?**

 **How ecstatic! I expected to reach 200 reviews in the previous chapter but to receive more than 200 reviews in my story altogether? How fortuitous! How is everyone today? I caught sight of some very interesting stories today. Everyone's going on a roll with Tearbrick, Brickoli, and BrickNerve these days—wow is this Ship-Anger-With-Everyone-Week? Well we all know how we love our comical brickhead. Opposites Attract is coming to an end and I'm looking forward to seeing that ending. Every other story seems to be falling into place on the fandom. Good to know.**

 **So after this story, I'm pretty much done with writing stories for the fandom. I'm just not as a good writer as I used to be. My stories have turned from amazing to decent and I'm losing time to spare for this type of hobby. There are better StarNerve stories to read out there anyways, so I saw. But throughout my time here on FF, I really enjoyed writing these stories. And the thing I enjoyed the most is how many of the shipfics here were inspired by my own. Seeing those really made my day... But do not fret! There WILL come a time where I decide to surprise you all and even myself with a little oneshot or two. And I'll always be around if you're seeking any advice.**

 **Another thing: people aren't giving credit to others anymore. It's okay to ask me for favors, but please remember to give credit. I don't mind if you don't give credit but don't pass off someone else's idea as your own. That's plagiarism. And that's why I reply to my reviewers, to tell them whether I accept their ideas or not. Everyone's ideas for helping this story prosper has been interesting so far and I was more than happy to accept them. Replies will be shown after this chapter. Will I make sparks fly or will I break some hearts?**

 **Then again this is a romantic story so I doubt it.**

* * *

This was it.

They were here.

All the students and teachers began to arrive. While everyone entered the newly rebuilt building, Angus waited outside. He should've known letting his mother drive him there half an hour earlier was a bad idea. Angus wore a brick-colored clack suit with mahogany dress pants, his father once wore, and the same black shoes he wore everyday. Rebellious as always, he added fire-yellow streaks on his neatly swept back red hair. And finally, he wore the same emerald ring Desiree gave him to signify their relationship. Speaking of Desiree, he then spotted a familiar limousine park just in front of him. Bing Bong noticed his presence and walked over.

"Why so lonesome, Angus? Come on in, we've got plenty of room!" he encouraged.

"Can't. I'm waiting," he answered blankly.

"For whom?"

"Take a good long look ahead of you," Angus groaned. Bing Bong did just that and noticed two figures getting out of the limo.

Desiree stepped out first, like a model ready to pose for a paparazzi. She wore an emerald and lime green strapless dress with a halter base that reached just below her ankles. The dress had a large, upside down lime green triangular design with assorted green shades of smaller triangles at the sides. Underneath her dress were a pair of glittery, two-and-a-half-inch magenta gladiator heels. Unexpected to Angus, she didn't wear as much makeup as he expected her to, but there were still quite a lot of applications that were executed professionally. Lastly, her hair was curled, revealing the pearly earrings pierced within her ears and on her left hand she wore a ruby ring that set Angus gaze on fire, albeit not in an enraged sort of way.. She was more stunning than he thought! Sadie followed while crossing her arms insecurely. He was surprised at how beautiful she suddenly became!

"Uh, I don't look lame, do I?" Angus asked almost frantically.

Bing Bong laughed and gave him a push. "You'll be fine. Now go get em', tiger!"

"It's about time you showed up," Angus greeted.

"Nice to see you too, brickhead," Desiree said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, Bing Bong's here!" Sadie cried excitedly and ran over to the mayor. Angus and Desiree laughed at how adorable Sadie ran, then looked at each other.

"You… you look…" Angus stammered. It wasn't like him to do this, Desiree thought.

"Yes…?" Desiree hummed.

"You… look…" Angus felt his face burn hotter by each passing moment.

"Um… are you okay? Your face is burning," Desiree observed.

"Uh… never mind," Angus murmured while trying to ignore himself.

Desiree grew uncomfortable and took his hand. "You know, I think we should get inside. It must be a lot cooler in there, right?"

"Not so fast, you two. I'm not leaving until I get a photo," called Desiderio.

"Dad, seriously? Every time? You'll be late for your friends' party!" Desiree reminded.

"That doesn't matter. Being fashionably late has always been my shtick. And besides my daughter always comes first. Now hold that pose and smile!" While he adjusted his camera, Desiree and Angus stood side-by-side, arm-in-arm, and smiled. As soon as the brief flash was triggered, they immediately pulled away.

"That's a keeper! Well, I better go. You have fun now and take good care of her, Angus," Desiderio said sternly before driving off.

"Dad! I'm not five anymore!" Desiree shouted and sighed irritably.

"Well, it's about time you two showed up!" greeted a voice.

Sadie ran up the small steps to greet the girl waiting for them. "Joy!"

Joy wore a bright yellow high-low strapless dress with a lighter shade forming the pattern of a four-pointed star. The bottom front of her dress reached just an inch above her knees while the back reached just below her ankles. On her feet were a simple pair of cerulean heels with a sunny pearl resting in the middle. Her hair was kept down this time instead of being tied up. And on her chest she wore that crafty necklace Felix gave her during their first detention. **(I hate to interrupt this story but I hate writing these sorts of descriptions… Also, did you honestly think I was going to let Joy arrive last?)**

"Sadie!" The two engulfed each other in a tight hug. Joy gasped as she pulled away and squealed. "Sadie, you look adorable!"

Sadie blushed and played with her dress. "T-thank you, I-I guess…"

"So, Angus, did you get to see—whoa, Desiree! Looking good," Joy paused upon the sight of the young Greene.

"Honestly, since when don't I look good? And I don't just look good, Joy. I look fabulous! And oh my gosh, you look gorgeous! So that's what your hair looks like when it's untied," Desiree gasped.

"Aw, thanks!" Joy's smile disappeared slightly, then she turned to Sadie. "Um… Felix is coming… right?"

"Um… well…" Sadie mumbled. Angus looked confused.

"Wait, Felix is not coming!?"

"Oh… I forgot to tell you. Since Mr. Nerveling said it may take another week for Felix to recover, I'm afraid he may not make it tonight," Joy recalled sadly.

"Why that little-! How could he-?! Agh! I'm going to smack him when this whole gig is over!' Angus snapped.

"Give him a break, Angus. He's been through enough," Desiree scolded.

"Well he should've come! I'm… I'm… I'm going to smack something!" Angus yelled.

"Can you smack me?" Sadness asked.

"What? No! I ain't smacking you, kid."

"We should probably get inside. It's not like Felix is going to arrive tonight," Joy said. The others exchanged saddened expressions and followed.

"Aw, don't worry, Joy. Felix will be with you guys in spirit," Bing Bong assured.

"Yeah, but it's not the same."

"I know. But don't let that bring you down. Come on, the dance floor is open! Sadie, are you in? we can dance as a trio!"

"I don't know…" Sadie mumbled.

Joy grabbed Sadie's hand. "Come on, we can dance together! It's hard to resist dancing to this kind of music," she said while moving to the beat of the surrounding pop music.

"Fine."

Meanwhile, Angus and Desiree were standing near the refreshment aisle. Angus' eyes looked everywhere, but locked onto Desiree when she wasn't looking. This may be the perfect opportunity for them to start over as an official couple. It's now or a never-ending cycle of sabotaging objects out of rage due to cowardice.

"So, boring night, right?" he began.

"Oh, I know right? I mean, I'm glad everything's back to normal. I'm glad we're back to normal," Desiree sighed.

Angus looked away. "Speaking of… 'we', there's something I need to tell you."

"Please don't tell me we're breaking up again."

"NO!" Angus snapped, his voice catching the attention of nearby students. Typical Angus, they thought. Desiree didn't flinch. She knew Angus more than anyone. They were childhood friends after all.

"Then I'm all ears."

Angus took a deep breath and spoke. "I—"

"Hold that thought, what are you wearing?" Desiree asked, pointing at his right hand. Angus turned ten shades redder than his hair.

"T-this? It's uh…"

"Is that the ring I gave you?" Desiree asked with a grin forming on her lips.

There was brief silence, but Angus finally managed to say, "Yeah. Yeah, it is. Is that so wrong?!"

Desiree blushed. "N-no, it's not! I-I think it's… really thoughtful of you because I thought you never wore it since the day I gave it to you."

"Well of course I never wore it! This—this ring is special, darn it. And I won't wear it on just any occasion. I love this ring as much as I-"

Desiree's eyes grew and her pupils sparkled. "You… what?"

"I-I- Ah to heck with it!" he growled in defeat. Angus did not move with her. In one swift move, he pulled Desiree, causing her to twirl and gasp at the sudden gesture, and surprised her with a chaste kiss. The kiss only lasted a full three seconds, and Desiree was guided back on her feet, too shocked to even react. She blushed with embarrassment and flattery. They just kissed in public for the first time!

"Oh, and by the way… don't think I didn't notice that ruby ring of yours," Angus murmured. The color on his face was officially permanent.

"Is that so wrong?" Desiree chuckled softly. She felt his hand brush against hers and their fingers intertwined. She no longer cared about what everyone thought of the two of them being together. Angus couldn't be prouder.

He smirked, gazed into her eyes, and said, "Not at all."

"Come on, Sadie, dance!" encouraged a dancing Joy.

"Yeah, it's fun!" Bing Bong added as he was also dancing.

"I don't… I'd rather dance when no one's around."

Bing Bong placed his hand on her shoulder. "Aw come on, kid, no one's going to pay attention to just us. Everyone is dancing! And not everyone may be as good as you are. Many of us here suck but we're just doing it for fun! Give yourself a whirl." The mayor demonstrated by taking Sadie's hand and twirling her around once. Yelping and trying to regain her balance, Sadie adjusted her glasses and smiled.

"That was… kind of fun," she murmured.

"That' a' girl!" Joy laughed. "Come on, Sadie, let's dance the night away! Woo!"

Sadie chuckled and started to dance simply yet insecurely. She felt comfortable dancing with Bing Bong and Joy around. Felix would have been one of them if he came.

Speaking of which, a violet car parked just outside the building. A familiar figure exited the car and adjusted his bowtie. It was none other than Freddie ready to drop off his well-healed son.

"You ready, son?" asked Freddie.

"No. I'm nervous," Felix shuddered.

"Hi 'Nervous', I'm Freddie."

"Dad!"

"You'll be fine. That runs in the family. Now go have fun! I'll pick you up before midnight." The car drove off at that moment. The moment he left the school, something dawned in his mind, a reminder he should've told Felix the moment his emotions went rampant. Shrugging, sighed and thought, ' _I think it's best if he discovered this himself.'_

After fifteen minutes of dancing, Joy, Sadie and Bing Bong took a break and met up with Desiree and Angus, who continued to flirt and whisper random nothings to each other.

"So, how are our two lovebirds doing?" Bing Bong teased.

"Oh you know, talking about nothing. That's like the best conversation ever," Desiree giggled.

Sadie glanced at her glass. "I think you drank too much punch, Desiree."

"Of course not! I don't want to take bathroom breaks during an event like this," Desiree answered.

Joy saddened at the sight of the two holding hands together. "Uh, is the school courtyard open?"

"Oh, yeah it is! It's the perfect place for couples to spend some quality time," Bing Bong answered.

"We could've gone there," Angus muttered.

"I think I need some time to myself, thank you," Joy somewhat forced a smile and made her way out the back. Everyone frowned knowingly.

"Poor Joy," Sadie muttered. "I wish she-"

"Sadie?" said a voice. This one made Sadie jump. She immediately turned around only to see her brother, Felix standing before her. The young Nerveling wore a violet tuxedo his father once owned, a darker shade of trousers and those same shoes he wears everyday. Resting on his neckline was that bowtie Joy lent him that same morning. And lastly, his hair was no longer in its usual houndstooth style, rather it was swept up into a slight curl just in front of his forehead, making that one strand of hair on the back of his head stand out. He speechlessly eyed his sister's new appearance. Before they knew it, they were in each other's arms.

"Felix, you're here!" Sadie cried.

"Hey, I told you we'd be late. And my goodness look at you – you look adorable!" Felix complimented confidently.

"Thanks… I hardly recognized you because of your hair."

"What, this? Oh this took a while to do but it's actually pretty simple. I think I might keep it that way for a while. Do I look okay or…?"

Sadie smiled and led him to their table. "Okay? You look great! We got to get you to see Desiree and Angus. Bing Bong's here too!"

"Wow, so if I hadn't come, then I'd be the only one?"

"Yeah… but you're here now."

"I-is Joy here?"

Sadie nodded. "She really wished you were here though."

Felix grinned inwardly. _Wish granted,_ he thought.

"Ugh, where is that boy band? They better not be late!" Angus grumbled. Suddenly her turned to a particular direction and froze.

"Don't be so impatient. Of course they'll come."

"Liar," she heard Angus say.

"Um, excuse me!? I'm not lying. They are coming!"

"You didn't lie about that. You lied about _him_ not making it!"

Confused, Desiree turned to where he pointed and gasped. "No way!" She grinned, left her table and ran to Felix, who was just meters away from where they sat.

Felix's eyes widened at how dolled up Desiree looked. "Wow, Desiree… you look—"

"Gorgeous? Hot? Amazing? Like a sheer goddess?" Desiree guessed knowingly.

"Um… all of the above?"

"Ha! I knew it! But you should really be saving those words for Joy," Desiree teased.

Felix blushed. "I think I'll faint when I see her."

"FELIX!" Angus roared.

Felix shrieked and cowered behind Sadie. Then he felt a sudden tug on his back and was pulled down by Angus. "It's about time you made it! I can't believe I believed these guys into thinking you weren't coming. I nearly EXPLODED when I heard that!"

"He said he was going to smack you after the party if you didn't come," Desiree chuckled.

"Wha—"

 ***SMACK!***

"OW! Angus!" Felix yelped.

"That's for coming in late!"

"Aw, you care."

Another smack, this time on his shoulder. Felix winced in pain, and was surprised to see Angus smirk at him.

"Ya darn right I do."

Desiree gasped. "We need Joy over here! I'll just go get her and—"

"N-no, Desiree, it's fine. I'll go see her myself."

"That's so romantic! Ew, I just grossed myself out," said Desiree.

"Felix, I hope you didn't forget it this time," Sadie said sternly. Felix smirked and took out a familiar necklace, which shocked Desiree and Angus. "Not ever again," he answered.

"Get out! How did you find it?" Desiree asked. For some reason, she felt her self-conscious disappear and a weight has been lifted.

"I found it after detention… and I forgot to give it back to her ever since," Felix sighed.

"Well now's your chance. Go get em', tiger!" cheered Angus.

"Tigers!? Where?!" Felix cried.

"Felix! I'm so glad you could make it!" Bing Bong greeted. Felix jumped in fear and hid behind Angus.

"I ain't a brick wall, kid. Now stop hiding behind me!" Angus snapped. Felix apologized immediately and went to Bing Bong's side. "Hey, Bing Bong! I'm glad you came."

"And I'm even gladder you came!" Bing Bong laughed. "Joy's out in the courtyard. You can make your very own grand entrance with her there if you wish."

"Y-yeah, thanks. I'll be right back, you guys!" And with that, he ran through the crowd in search for a certain Starlight.

"Oh look, and here comes our boy band now! P5YCH, I'd like to introduce to you my friends," Bing Bong announced. Desiree kept her cool and smiled, Sadie smiled and waved, and Angus wore his grumpiest face yet.

* * *

Joy glanced up at the clear night sky. She didn't want to look down because of all the couples swooning around her. She kept looking back at the door every now and again, hoping Felix would come out and surprise her. But this was no movie. And even if he did, what difference will it make?

"What am I doing? I should get back in there! Everyone's having fun without me. I'm Joy, for goodness' sake! And I'm going to get in there to have fun with or without Felix. At least he's with me in spirit," she said to herself. She left the bench and entered the gym, where P5YCH was now playing their first romantic song number.

"Anything but this…" she sighed.

Meanwhile, still in the crowd, Felix continued to search for Joy. He reached for his pocket and took out the necklace. _Still intact_ , he thought. All of a sudden, another student accidentally bumped against him, causing the necklace to escape his hand.

"No!" he shrieked. He chased it as it didn't seem to stop. It kept sliding across the floor while getting kicked slightly by other students. He prayed that nobody stepped on it. Meanwhile, Joy kept going through the crowd, muttering soft excuses as she pushed her way through. A small bright light caught her eye from the ground. It was a light that only she noticed. She followed out of curiosity to see what it was. It wasn't still. It kept moving as everyone around her kept moving. Felix didn't lose sight of the necklace, as the light reflecting off its star-shaped jewel struck his gaze.

"Almost got it," he muttered to himself. The moment he reached out to grab it, he ended up roughly bumping into someone once more. The students around them gasped to see what just happened. Knelt on the ground, Felix rubbed his forehead and checked his hand. He caught it! He opened his hand slightly and noticed that the necklace was still intact. It wasn't filthy either. He sighed heavily until he heard a voice moaning in pain. He looked up and panicked.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- a-are you alright?!" he stammered while gripping her arms gently.

The girl before him lifted her head in realization. The moment she did that, Felix gasped and moved away slightly. This girl he just bumped into… this girl the necklace led him to…

"J-J-J-Joy!? I-I'm so sorry! I- I didn't know y-you were—wow…" He paused breathlessly, suddenly enamored by Joy's new appearance. Joy couldn't believe he came. It was so sudden! She jumped onto him for a hug.

"You came! You actually came!" Joy whimpered. Felix's heart raced and hugged back, smiling.

"Well, well, well," Desiree snickered now that she, Angus, Sadie and Bing Bong somehow came to see the commotion.

Realizing they're still on the ground with a dozen students watching them, Felix let go of Joy and helped her up. "You were watching everything?"

"Only this part – the moment we've all been waiting for," Bing Bong answered.

Angus went next to Felix and slapped his back. "Wait to go, beanpole!"

"Is everything alright over here?" Principal Raine stepped in.

"We're fine, thank you," assured Felix.

"Whew, good! Because P5YCH is just about ready to perform their numbers for the waltzing hour. But first," Bing Bong reached for his pouch and took out a digital camera. "I want all of you to gather around for your first Prom photo!"

"Now you're talking!" Desiree said proudly.

"Oh goodie!" Joy squealed.

"Ugh," Angus groaned.

"B-But I'm camera shy," Felix stammered.

"Me too," Sadie agreed.

The five assembled onto the small stage. Mayor Bing Bong knelt down to adjust his camera. "Alright, you guys, now smile!"

They all flashed a smile before a beaming light briefly struck their gaze. Almost immediately, they left the stage and went behind Bing Bong. Their first group photo looked absolutely perfect.

"I love it!" Joy exclaimed.

"Great! You're keeping the first copy," Bing Bong announced.

"Now that's what I call a keeper," Desiree snickered.

"Meh. Every photo's the same," shrugged Angus.

"I guess I look okay," Sadie mumbled.

"So do I," Felix finished.

"Alright, students, gather around! Because, P5YCH is about to play their first love song for us all," announced Principal Raine.

"Ugh… excuse me while I go punch something," Angus gagged.

Desiree pouted. When will he ever be romantic? Then again she too couldn't stand how 'sloppy' romance can get. Then she had an idea. "Alright, fine. If you're not going to dance with me then I guess I'll just have to swoon over my favorite band and maybe dance with one of them after their first performance. I bet one of them knows how to dance like a _real_ man."

Steam puffed out of Angus' ears and he could feel his teeth cracking from all the gritting. He then grabbed her hand and dragged her to the dance floor. "No one can be a man as real as I am! I'll show them."

As the whole group laughed at the situation, they felt the atmosphere change. Soon, everyone had their own partners, while others went to their tables, and danced slowly to a different beat. Bing Bong and Sadie glanced at Joy and Felix and grinned.

"I think I've had enough dancing for now. I'm going to get some punch. Sadie?" Bing Bong signalled his hand for Sadie to come along. The young Teardrop smirked and followed.

"Gee, Bing Bong, punch sounds great. I guess…"

Felix and Joy stared at them with bewilderment, then noticed the couples dancing around them. After realizing they were in the middle of it all, they looked at each other, then away.

"So I… I guess we got to do what they're doing huh?" Joy stammered, still looking away.

"Y-yeah, I suppose. But you do know I still can't dance right?" Felix stammered back. He inwardly slapped himself for being unable to control his intensifying blush. He froze as Joy took his hand and pulled him in.

"I'll teach you! It's only a waltz. It's, like, the easiest dance yet!"

"R-right… so where do my hands go?" Unable to contain her laughter, Joy burst into a fit of giggles upon the sudden question. Felix realized what he just said and pulled himself away, mortified at how dumb that question sounded. "Oh, I am so sorry I said that!"

"Okay, I'll stop, I'll stop! Please don't go," Joy giggled while admiring the rosy color on Felix's face. She took his hand in hers and rested her other hand on his shoulder. "It's easy! Just put your right hand on my left, and put your left on my waist. See? Easy!"

"Y-Yo-yo—" Felix opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it. He struggled to rest his shaky hand on his partner's waist. He felt like he was in a danger zone. Maybe he wasn't ready for this…

"There you go! Now it's just one foot after the other. Follow my lead."

Felix did just that. The first few steps were rather inept as he kept on stepping on her foot and stumbling almost a little too close for comfort. Joy remained patient and told him to keep his eyes on her, which he hesitated in doing. After a few moments, he quickly adapted to the beat of the music and caught up with Joy's simple movements.

"See? What'd I tell you? Easy!"

Felix chuckled. "Y-yeah… I'll get used to it."

Joy felt the sudden urge to lean against his chest, hoping to hear the way his heart reacted to her. But then, a familiar accessory caught her eye.

"Hey, you're wearing the bowtie I gave you!"

Felix's gaze lowered and his blush grew wider. "O-oh this? Yeah. I… I love it! Thank you. How did you make it?"

Joy shrugged and pulled off a confident grin. "I was taught by the best."

"So I was told," smiled Felix knowingly.

"But… how? Your dad said you'd be better after this week," Joy wondered.

"Believe me, I thought so too. But after risking my life to save yours, I started to realize that maybe luck does exist after all." He suddenly pulled away from the young Starlight, confusing her. Then he reached for his pocket and shocked her with the necklace he held onto for too long.

"My necklace…! All this time you—"

"Y-yeah… I found it in the drain after we got detention. I wanted to give it back to you but I always forgot. I never understood why though. Maybe it's because… I was afraid of you – afraid of what you'll say, what you'll do," he huffed to himself and went on, "Even after all the moments we shared, I was still too afraid of trusting you. I'm not blaming you or anything… I just hate myself for being such a coward."

Joy silenced him with a finger on his lips and spoke. "You're not a coward, Felix. You never were."

"W-what do you mean?"

 _'Seriously?'_ Joy chuckled inwardly. "Please! Who stood up for me and Sadie when we got bullied? Who accepted the offer to protect Sadie and me when our parents left us until midnight? Who told me it's not okay to hide my emotions by being too darn happy all the time? And who in their right mind will step into a burning building and lose consciousness trying to save my own? You're not a coward, Felix. You're a lot braver than you think! You're always scared, but the fear of losing your loved ones is what makes you brave enough to save them. That's your purpose! You're courageous. And that's what I… that's what I'll always love about you."

Felix was stunned by her confession. His gaze was glued onto hers, and then it went elsewhere. He scratched his head shyly and answered, "Gee, Joy, I… I don't know what to say. But I'll admit, your necklace is what led me to you since the fire incident. It healed me. Then it led me back to you."

Joy's eyes widened. "R-really?"

"Yeah. M-may I?" Felix gently wrapped his arms around Joy's neck and hooked the necklace. "You can remove the necklace I gave you… i-if you want," he commented after silently noticing the necklace he offered her during that day.

"Are you kidding? No way! I don't mind wearing both." Both of them noticed Desiree and Angus dancing meters away, hand-in-hand, ring-next-to-ring. They both felt their own chests and smiled. Sadie was spotted on their table, having a nice chat with Mayor Bing Bong and Principal Raine, while the teachers spectated their waltzing students from the sidelines, smiling and gossiping about the possible couples waiting to form at the end of the night. Felix requested somewhere private where he could finally tell Joy everything. His emotions were pouring out, drowning his fears away with confidence. Also, he didn't want to be judged by anyone who dared to eavesdrop on them.

"Can I mention how handsome you look tonight, by the way? I love your hair! It suits you," Joy laughed while toying with that one strand of hair that always stood out from Felix's head. The young Nerveling jolted and backed away slightly.

"Y-yeah, sure. I don't mind. I think I'll keep my hair like this for a while," Felix replied. He was too distracted by seeing Joy's happiness to notice her different appearance. His jaw dropped slightly then shied away. "You… you look…"

"Hideous? Nasty? Weird-looking? Gloomy? Bland?" Joy guessed.

"Um, none of the above?!" Felix answered fearfully.

Joy laughed and punched his shoulder playfully. "I'm just kidding! I'm not _that_ pessimistic."

"You're hardly pessimistic at all."

"Then, what do you think of me tonight? Do I look okay?" Joy asked curiously. Felix smiled shyly and began humming the chorus of _Just the Way You Are_. Joy got the message and shoved him playfully.

"What?" Felix chuckled.

"Stop teasing me, you dork!" Joy giggled.

"Says the Tickle Monster," Felix shot back playfully.

"Oh, now it's on!"

The sudden tickling of Joy towards Felix led them to a playful chase around the school courtyard. They ignored the spectating couples and were too focused on tagging, tickling and giggling with each other. It finally came down to Joy's ineptness with wearing heels. The young Starlight stumbled just inches away from the young Nerveling. Felix turned around, hearing Joy's sharp cry as she was about to fall onto him. The cost of his balance allowed him to catch her. And within seconds, Felix remained seated up on the stoned path with Joy pressed within his embrace. Joy lifted her head up slightly and, realizing their current position, backed away swiftly.

"I-I'm so sorry! A-are you hurt?" Joy asked frantically.

Felix rubbed his back and winced slightly. "It's okay. It's just pain. I'm fine, really."

"I'm sorry… I'm pretty clumsy in heels," Joy admitted while shyly tucking a strand that fell out of place.

"That's alright. I'm pretty inept at everything." The two giggled simultaneously until the atmosphere died down slightly. The two laid seated on the grass, admiring the near-midnight glow. Felix recaptured his evading courage and began. "U-um, Joy?"

"Yes?"

"I-I…"

Joy blushed. ' _Don't tell me…'_

"I-I l-lo—"

 _Could it be?_

"I-I-I-lo-lov—"

 _Is he going to confess?_

"W-wh-what I me-meant was I—"

 _He is!  
But…_

"N-No," Joy breathed.

Felix's heart froze. "W-what?"

"I… I can't… I can't be with you, Felix."

"So… you… you don't… like me that way?" Felix asked shakily.

"What? No, Felix, I love you – a lot! But, I can't be with you… not now at least," Joy confessed. She no longer contained herself as fresh tears started to fall. She desperately tried to wipe them off, which also wiped some of her makeup away. Felix stared at her worriedly. Before he could speak, she went on.

"M-my parents… they… they wouldn't allow me to date anyone until I finished college."

"T-that's okay! I can wait, really," Felix assured.

"N-not only that… t-this was a recent decision… but… next… year… my family and I…. we're moving," Joy went on, crying softly. Felix felt his heart sting.

"M-moving… Moving where?!"

"Canada… My parents wanted me… to study there… since I was a kid. Even I wanted to go there one day… W-we're going there in January… Ever since I met you, I… I didn't want to go anymore, but I didn't want to upset my parents and I was afraid I would make a wrong decision if I stayed… but the worst part is… I… I don't know if we'll ever come back. I don't know if I'll ever see you again!

"I don't want to leave you guys. You were the first real friends I've ever had! And I don't want our memories to stop there. I don't want to forget," Joy finished bitterly. Without warning, Felix lowered her hands away from her face and wiped her tears away for her. Joy felt heat rise to her face as she felt the lingering touch of his hands on her cheeks. _He's not going to kiss me is he?_ Then he leaned in.

"Felix, no," Joy protested. Instead of doing what she thought he did, all he did was secure her in his arms once more.

"It's okay," Felix murmured. Joy was sceptical. ' _What went on in his mind when he said that?'_

"No it's not," Joy protested.

"Sure it is. It shows how much you value your life and your family more than anything, even us! If living in Canada was your childhood dream then you should go for it. And besides, we'll see each other again," Felix assured her, albeit he felt his heart crack from every word.

"Yeah… but, what if we don't…" Joy stammered.

Felix pulled away slightly. "We don't… what?"

"What if we don't like each other that way anymore?"

"Then in that case, I'll wait for you," Felix confirmed.

"You'll… wait?"

"Sure! I'll wait for you until we're both ready- o-or at least until you come back. A-and if you can't come back, then I guess we'll have to pay you a visit! My parents aren't fond of travelling and I don't want to leave them by going abroad. I-I'm sorry if I couldn't stay but—"

"No, no, that's perfect!" Joy exclaimed. "Hold up. Will you really… wait for me?"

Felix blushed and looked at the clear skies. "I-I'll try. I promise I'll try. H-how are we going to break it to everyone else?"

"Now might not be the right time. So for now, let's just cherish every moment and maybe try to remember everything in the next three or four months. Moving away from you guys… made me doubt my lifelong dream of growing up."

It was tough. His parents never allowed him to make social media accounts, nor accept contact numbers from friends. And he would die of self-doubt and embarrassment when sending her letters. There was no other way he could properly keep in touch with her. Felix shook his head. "Growing up isn't the problem, forgetting is. And I'll never forget you. At least I'll try not to. You're like a star after all… always there… no matter how far you are."

Joy swooned at this. The two gazed at each other for a few minutes, silenced by the rapid chirping coming from the bushes. The fireflies were out, making the skies look as if there were stars moving left and right. Felix watched as Joy stood, chasing and dancing as the fireflies swarmed around her. He rested his chin on his arms, which rested on his knees, and smiled warmly at the sight. Each passing moment became a blur, and she was all that became clear in his mind. He admired the sight, yet deeply upset with her decisions. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe he wasn't ready for her yet. Maybe _they_ weren't ready yet. But still. The rest of his life without Joy? The thought of it sank in, making him sigh in distress. No, it can't be. They'll see each other again! Someday. He was immediately brought back to the present when Joy tugged at his hands in hopes of pulling him up.

"Let's dance!"

"O-out here?" Felix stuttered.

"Yeah, where else?" Joy giggled and continued to pull him.

"Slow down, Joy. I mean we aren't exactly a couple yet," Felix teased as he pulled himself up. Joy smiled back playfully and felt their hands intertwine.

"Sorry, Felix, but I don't want to miss out on our first dance."

* * *

 **CUT! CUT! CUT!**

 **Did you really think the story would end here? If you saw my spoiler art then you knew this wasn't the end. And I made an announcement that this story will officially end in December. So, what did you think of this chapter? Not as cliché as you thought? If so then good. I'm sorry if I disappointed you guys. You were all looking forward to this chapter and I ruined it... on purpose. But then again I only intentionally failed to make Joy and Felix a couple. Angus and Desiree is canon all the way! I was going to let some of the P5YCH members flirt with Sadie, and Felix dashing in to defend her, but I ran out of room. Man that would've been funny to write. In case you haven't noticed, I added similar lines from the first chapter just to give you guys a sense of nostalgia from the day they first met.**

 **I'm sorry this wasn't the outcome you wanted. This isn't one of those stories where the boy kisses the girl and they all lived happily ever after since that special night. Nope. I intended to make this story as realistic as I could while keeping the characters in character. And who could relate to this chapter a bit? You know, having friends moving away and you fear they may forget you? Yeah, reflect on this chapter my fellow reviewers, because this is how it feels to grow up. I think. I know how it feels and that's why I wrote this chapter. Anyways, I'm not here to talk about that, I'm here to talk about your opinions!**

 **Sydney: Aw thanks a heap! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **HollyAnne: And because you found all the references, you get a virtual donut… with sprinkles on it! And thanks for enjoying my works! It's nothing for me to feel offended about. I really do thank you for sharing your ideas with this story. It really helped!**

 **CNBW: Aw… well I'm not so sure what you think of this chapter now.**

 **VickyT36: Thanks! Feel free to tell me what you thought of this chapter.**

 **WriterofBliss: Thanks! You must feel pretty 'blissful' ey. That sucked, I know.**

 **Guest: Thanks! And you spotted a reference! Have a virtual cookie!**

 **Ponystoriesandothers: Jeez bro, then you might get a little too squeamish with this chapter. LOOK AWAY! xDD or maybe rant something out.**

 **Marigold lover: Thanks!**

 **Sydney: You may have given me an idea. I have imagined Felix playing an acoustic song for Joy, in fact I imagined them singing in a duet. Try searching 'Oh Darling' by 'Plug In Stereo ft. Cady Groves'. The song is really fitting! I'll search for Cold Play while I'm at it. I know it but haven't listened to it yet… or so I think. :D**

 **Insider Sim: Thanks! You spotted some references! Have a virtual cookie!**

 **The Creativity Queen: Oh it's so good to hear from you again! Thanks so much for the chapter reviews! It's much easier to compile them all into one, isn't it? And I agree with your opinions. I could've done better with some chapters. And yes, Felix was always afraid of Desiree before… but never more than Angus. It was great to hear from you again!**

 **BusyBee2016: Hello there! Welcome to the fandom and welcome to my story! And did you just say you drew Sadie? I MUST SEE IT! :D And regarding the TRUTH OR DARE fic… that story is nearing discontinuation… but I must write another chapter! I promised some people I'd do their truths and dares and I'm not backing down now. I'll finish it at some point. But thank you for the reminder.**

 **And so that's it! Gosh, I miss some of my guest reviewers, but I know they may or may not be silently reading this. And before you scream bloody murder at me like: 'THIS BETTER NOT END HERE, STARNERVE, I WANT A DANG EPILOGUE OR A NEW CHAPTER RIGHT NOW!' Calm down, there will be an ending. It's in December. Spoiler alert: There will be a time skip. Someone MAY or MAY NOT die of old age, I'm not confirming that yet. And once the chapter is released in December, it will be set in December. Also, the ending of the story will be featured as an artwork in my upcoming OTP Challenge on DeviantArt if you wish to stay tuned to that.**

 **Until then, I'll see you all soon or whenever you wish to PM me for anymore questions.. Have a great day/night everyone!**


	20. Chapter 20: An Emotional Christmas (End)

**_Seven o'clock in the evening upon arrival to Minnesota, USA, from Canada._**

 _It's been so long since I updated my diary. Even after getting my necklace back from Felix during what could've been a special night, I became busy with so many things I forgot to record all my precious memories in this book. I guess they're meant to remain in my head more than anywhere else._

 _Felix._

 _It's been too long since I got to see that name in my handwriting. Six years ago, I said goodbye. And six years later, I'm coming back. I don't know what happened after I left… until Desiree told me everything._

 _Ever since I left, things haven't really changed. My parents' friends continued to work in their café, with mom and dad missing them too much. Dad had to work online just to stay in touch with Mr. Brickman. And now that he retired from work, we were ready to go back home! I'm so excited!_

 _Sadie took up nursing, and I heard she's been chosen to work as assistant nurses in hospitals around the state. She wanted to work as a weather girl, but then her hiring manager told her that even the gloomiest weathers can bring out more joy than she can. Those jerks! But I'm so proud of her and her new job! She seemed so happy when Desiree told me about it. That's where I got my friends' whereabouts from: Desiree. Desiree went to college for a couple of years, but later dropped out after she was chosen to become a fashionista and a part-time model for the local magazine. Years later, her face started spreading all around the States! She's so popular now, I can see her on the magazines my mother bought every time she returned home from work._

 _Apparently, I heard rumors that Angus was working with the force and Felix became a psychologist. I also heard from Desiree that Felix works part time at the cafe back home! Good for him! It made me think that Angus would always take anger management classes from Felix... and somehow end up leaving the room in shambles with his head held high._

 _Over the years I began to think that Felix hated me after what I did to him. Because if he didn't, then why wouldn't he talk to me through Desiree or Angus? Why wouldn't he spare a single second just to hear my voice again? It hurts when you're left in suspense for six years wondering why your long-time crush hasn't had the guts to reach out to you. Maybe he gave up on me._

 _When I last contacted Bing Bong, he announced to me that he created his very own preschool, where he teaches basic astronomy! He even told the children he'll take them to the moon one day. It was so cute to hear! I hope he really does take them to the moon one day. In that school, everyone is a winner just waiting to share their own facts and opinions! I even heard that there are French fry specials every Friday. Oh, I wish we had that in our school! The sad thing about growing up is that you get to miss out on all the more exciting perks that get introduced into our schools._

 _Needless to say, even though not much has changed, a lot of special occurrences happened and I wasn't there to witness any of them. And that's why I'm returning home now! I'll be sure to keep the next entry posted soon, because our plane just landed. I finished college as a teacher and EVERYONE loved me! Heh, even the kids were teasing me by asking me why I haven't had a boyfriend yet. The answer was simple: I wasn't ready yet. I was ready by the time I reached college, and when they asked me something like that, I couldn't tell them I had my mind set on someone for the longest time now._

 _Mom and dad are next to me and are just as excited as I am. Look out everyone, we're coming home!_

Closing her book, Joy eagerly stood excitedly from her seat and exited the plane. Slightly surprised, Jay and Jolie hurriedly grabbed their belongings and rushed after Joy.

"Honey, slow down!" Jolie called.

"I know you're just as excited as we are to see your friends again, but we can't catch up with you anymore, kiddo," added Jay.

Joy quickly returned to carry their extra luggage. "Sorry! I'm just... a little too excited."

Both her parents shook their heads at each other. "We know you too well. Now, where's the nearest exit?" asked Jolie

"Right over there, next to... is that who I think it is?" Jay muttered while trying to remember the face before them.

"Yoo-hoo! Over here!" the man called. Joy had a big grin on her face and practically sprinted... again; with their bags this time.

"Bing Bong!"

* * *

 ** _The next morning after the Starlights returned..._**

"And... you're good!" yelled the photographer. Desiree snapped out of her pose and went offstage. Her hair was now longer than it was before. The makeup on her face was less, eyelashes aren't too flashy for instance, and she now wore a short green forest jacket over a strapless purple dress her mom lent her. Her shoes remain the same and like everyone else, she has gotten a bit taller, and slimmer.

Her photographer was once a film maker but her company shut down months after it started due to the 'actors' and 'voice actors' they hired, not to mention the cliche plotlines that sent even the nicest critiques to sleep.

"How did I look?" she asked.

"Like a goddess! This'll be perfect for next month's cover. Congrats once again on winning the nomination!" praised the photographer.

"What, you mean the Model of The Year Award? I wasn't really surprised. I worked too hard to earn that! Well... thanks to Angus mostly," huffed Desiree, then mumbling at those last few words. Upon checking her phone she immediately raced to the door. "Speak of the devil, I gotta' dash! I'll see you next month for my next photoshoot."

"Sure thing, Desiree. Happy Holidays!"

Meanwhile, just outside the building was a parked police car;

And Angus;

In a police uniform;

Waiting.

What did Angus now look like? To start off with, he grew taller, taller than Sadie, and _almost_ reaching Desiree's height. Not too bad. After months of training and the first few years of patrol, he now grew to have a well-built figure. And it seems he's been growing his sideburns out a bit... and is that a mustache he's growing? Thanks to Felix's lessons, which SOMEHOW managed to pay off as time went on, he couldn't care less about what everyone else thought of him, not even the kids. They did make him growl every time he thought of them. All that mattered was that he had-

"Well it's about time you showed up. And are you sure you want me to ride in that car with the scent of disgusting criminals?" Desiree greeted. Well... he loved her for that reason anyway. Something about her makes his blood boil... in a good and bad way.

"Good afternoon to you too, _sweetheart_. And calm down, you're riding with me at the front. I had to leave work early so I can fetch you. You're welcome," Angus huffed.

"Uh, you suck at reading minds, because I was about to say 'no thank you'."

"Hmm... alright, you win. I guess you'll have to walk through the snow in those heels. I wish you luck on that," Angus snickered before entering the car.

"Alright fine! You win... for now," Desiree snapped, with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Good! Now get in, fashion police," Angus jokingly ordered.

"Whatever... just don't get those filthy cuffs on me," Desiree said with defeat. As Angus drove them off in silence, Desiree received a text message from her phone and released a high-pitch squeal, nearly causing Angus to lose his grip on the wheel.

"What the heck was that for?!"

"It's Joy - she's back!"

"Yes, we already knew that last night. Tell me something I don't know!" Angus yelled.

"And she's coming to our Christmas party tonight!" Desiree went on.

"That's no reason to scream your lungs off!"

"Oh please, if you were a girl, you'd understand."

"Right, Felix is not a girl and his voice can't get any higher than your squealing."

"Shush! Keep your eyes on the road," Desiree nagged.

"And you keep your lips sealed before I seal them myself!" Angus shot back, causing Desiree to blush furiously rather than feeling intimidated.

"I hate you so much," she mumbled. Angus heard this anyway and formed a tiny smirk on his lips. Desiree then received another call from her parents, who were at the cafe setting up decorations.

"Hey, dad, I hope you got all the decorations up. And I'm guessing the tree looks festive enough?" Desiree asked.

"Uh no, everything is a wreck and we'll have to cancel tonight's party. I'm so sorry, dear. Of course everything's done and dusted! Why else did we call you?" she heard Desiderio laugh.

"Oh, you almost gave me a heart attack! How's mom?"

"She's good. Diana and Angie wouldn't stop arguing whether red or green is the best color for most things... so they always left the last decision to Sam. If only Jolie was there to help make the best decision. Sam was only good at calming them down."

"And what about Mr. Brickman?"

"Andy's not as nimble as he used to be... and because he refuses to drink his coffee, he's been taking naps every ten minutes. Freddie was out of commission due to osteoporosis, and because Jay's not here to tidy things up fast, I had to do all the 'manly work'."

"I do hope Mr. Nerveling is okay," Desiree mumbled worriedly.

"Don't worry, dear, he's fine. It was nice of Felix to take his place by working here part-time."

"Yeah, well I'm just glad it's over. Get some rest for tonight, dad. You all earned it," Desiree said softly before kissing her phone. Over the line, her father smiled at this.

"Thanks, honey. I'll see you tonight."

Desiree hung up the phone and slouched on her seat.

"Everything okay, Des?" Angus asked rather softly.

"Nothing..."

"You know it's dangerous to lie to a cop, right?" Angus spoke skeptically, his eyes glued onto the road.

"Sorry, I'm just worried about Felix's dad. Two years ago he started to get weaker and it hasn't gotten any better since."

"He'll be fine. We just need to keep our hopes up for him. I know he'll get better."

"I'm surprised you actually care..." Desiree muttered.

"Nor I am with you. As much as I hate sharing my emotions with anyone, I can never hide anything from you," Angus confessed whilst glancing at her with a smile, then averting his gaze back on the road. Desiree smiled and surprisingly kissed his cheek as he was driving, which nearly made him lose focus.

"I've waited ten years to hear you say something like that."

Angus grumbled and blushed slightly, but somewhere in there, Desiree could hear him say,

"Whatever."

* * *

Meanwhile, inside a bus filled with boisterous children, rowdy teenagers, scolding parents, and one angry bus driver sat a young adult checking her schedule. Her deep blue hair was now tied loosely, her formerly round, high-index plastic spectacles were now changed into a butterfly-shape with the same type of lens. Due to the chilly weather, she currently wore a deep blue fur coat over her cornflower turtleneck. She now wears a navy blue pair of straight trousers and a slightly larger-in-size blue pumps. She appeared to have lost some weight but still maintained her chubby form. In regards to her height, she hasn't changed a bit. She scrolled down her new phone, only to find a text message from Desiree. Her eyes widened at the announcement.

 _'Joy came back and we'll be seeing her tonight! Quick, tell Felix!'_

"Joy... returned?" she mumbled to herself incredulously. It was obvious neither she nor Felix had the time to keep in touch with Joy, nor were they brave enough to ask. Of all people, she kept in touch with Desiree and Angus, their former bullies back in high school. Not that she minded, however she felt her heart sting with guilt. She and Felix both worked hard to earn money so they could see her one day. Upon seeing the text once more, Sadie smiled with relief. She's home. She's finally home. And that moment, the bus made a particular stop, allowing someone to come onboard. That's when Sadie hid her phone.

He figure was still the same, lanky as always. His face broadened slightly and appeared to have grown taller. His hair was no longer swept up into a curl, rather it was left down but parted away from his face. Underneath his violet waistcoat was a lavender sweater over his houndstooth vest and business shirt. he wore dark electric violet cargo pants and those usual polished business shoes. It was none other than Sadie's brother, Felix. He then spotted Sadie sitting behind the children standing on their seats and sat next to her, greeting her with a kiss on the forehead. She looked like she had nothing to hide.

"Hey, how was work?"

"It was good I guess. Some of my patients were a little too sick for comfort. Otherwise, I'm well. You?"

"Yeah, it was alright. I had no one yelling at me this time unlike a certain brickhead who nearly threw a pencil at my face. The bus driver could use a lesson from me. I feel sorry that he became stuck with... you know."

"I know... just don't say too much."

"So, got any good news about tonight's Christmas party?" Felix asked, with hints of wanting a certain someone to be there.

"Um..." Sadie inwardly trailed back to that text message, then shook her head. "Nope. No fortuitous announcements today. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"Right... For now, I just hope dad feels better by tonight. Agh, can't this bus go any faster!?"

"Sorry, kid, we're stuck in traffic! You know how preppies go nuts with their Christmas shopping!" shouted the bus driver, who eventually heard his complaint within the racketing children. Felix could only slouch back and cover his face while Sadie shook her head.

"I told you not to say too much."

* * *

Bing Bong, Joy and her parents set off in search of the cafe that afternoon. The snow softly fell upon them. It wasn't as chilly as when they were in Canada, but it certainly did feel like home to them.

"So, how's your community going, _Mister_ Mayor?" Joy chirped.

"Oh it's going great! Two days ago, I invited the children over. We watched a movie, sat by the fireplace, told Christmas stories, why I even told them I plan on building a rocket so I can take them to the moon one day! They all wanted to help."

"Really?" Joy asked incredulously. "That's great! When will you get started?"

"Hopefully as soon as possible. I am ambitious when it comes to doing something for others," Bing Bong informed.

"Yeah, well, when you get started, remind me and the gang to help you out. We want you to take us to the moon too!"

"Brilliant! My rocket runs on song power so I hope you don't mind singing once we start building," the mayor added.

"Don't worry, I taught my students to sing too, so I'm perfectly fine with that sort of thing! Everyone except Angus and Desiree. They don't like to try some things because they don't want to get... well, embarrassed ya know?" said Joy.

"Ah, in time. I want to get this all done before it's too late. I already have the schematics for making the rocket! But I'm not showing it until it's finished."

"Sweet, can't wait to see it!" Joy then gasped and pointed at the cafe. "There it is!"

"Whoa, talk about festive!" Jay exclaimed at the sight of the Christmas lights hanging from the canopy and around the trees.

"Oh, should we make a grand entrance?" Joy pleaded excitedly.

"That's a great idea! I'll get my camera!" answered Bing Bong.

"Joy...?" whispered a voice. Joy gasped and turned to look ahead. There she saw a car that recently parked right next to the building. She was awestruck to find Angus and Desiree staring at her with the same shocked expression. They changed too! Desiree now looked even more gorgeous, and Angus looked a lot manlier than he was years ago. Joy and Desiree then ran to each other and practically jumped frantically while squealing like a couple of five-year-olds. Angus shook his head with content.

"Y-you're back!" Desiree cried.

"You kidding?! I'm home now!" Joy said before squealing with Desiree once more.

"Alright enough with the squealing," Angus stepped in, then yelped as Joy tackled him in a hug.

"I missed you, Angus!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.

"What's going on out he-" Diana stepped out of the cafe and paused at the sight of Joy.

"Oh my gosh, everyone: the Starlights are back!" she other parents perked up to her sudden announcement and instantly raced for the door. Jay and Jolie looked at each other and shrugged.

"So much for a 'grand entrance'," Jay whispered. Jolie chuckled and shook her head.

"Well it's about time you came back!" Andy remarked while patting Jay's back.

"Yeah! Mr. Shorty over here couldn't stop taking breaks and I really could've used your help with decorating the place," Desiderio spoke monotonously.

"Seriously? You did a fantastic job without my help!" Jay commented. "Where's Fred? How's he holding up?"

"He's better. Sam just led him outside on a wheelchair so he's with her over there," Desiderio answered.

Jay's smile faded. "Fred," he called.

The Nerveling, who just finished speaking to Joy turned, to his old friend and smiled. "Jay, you're here!" he greeted and pushed the wheels of his chair to move towards him. Jay greeted him with a man-hug.

"How are you?"

"I feel great! Especially now that you're here. Well, I'm not as good sitting on this wheelchair and all. I should be expected to walk a bit tonight."

"Hey, don't strain yourself. You've done enough of that for too long," Jay warned sternly.

"Ah, I can't help it," Freddie laughed.

"So, how's Felix doing?"

"He's on his way back here with Sadie."

"Ah, until now he can't leave Sadie on her own can he?"

"He can... just not for a long time."

Freddie held his hand out to feel more snow raining down on them. He turned to Sam, who was talking to Jolie about how Diana and Angie kept driving her crazy with their ideas. "Sam, I think we should get in," he whispered.

Sam smiled. "Great idea." Then she turned to everyone and announced, "Alright, everyone inside before we all get cold!"

"Where're Felix and Sadie?" Joy asked sadly.

"They're coming. Don't worry," Sam assured patiently. Joy pulled a sad smile and entered the cafe, where she felt warmth overwhelm her.

"The atmosphere... it's even more welcoming than my last visit years ago!" Joy sighed.

"It's still a work in progress," Diana informed. "Now, who wants a cuppa?" Some exchanged nods of approval while others made orders of their own. The cafe was only open for them for that whole day until Christmas arrives tonight. Desiree then received a message. Knowing it was her cue, she stood in search for Joy.

"Oh, by the way, Joy, I need to purchase something at the gift shop. Can you come with me?" Desiree asked.

"Oh, sure! Are you okay with walking out in the snow?" Joy asked back.

"With these boots, anything is possible! And we're not going far so let's go." Desiree took Joy's arm and dragged her outside.

"Where are you two going?" Angus asked.

"I forgot to buy something and I want to take her with me," Desiree answered quickly before exiting the door with Joy. Angus shook his head and sipped his coffee. Then Andy sat next to him and asked.

"So, how long will it take before you propose to Desiree?" he teased. Angus could only respond by spitting his coffee onto the floor.

"DAD!" Angus snapped, his face fuming with rage.

"You're cleaning that, young man!" Angie nagged angrily.

* * *

"Did we have to get off the bus early, Sadie... You could've bought something at the nearest branch before taking the bus!" Felix scolded.

"Should've, could've, didn't. Wait here. I need to buy something for you," Sadie ordered.

"So you're saying you don't have a gift for me yet? You're doing-"

"Last-minute-shopping, yes. You'll thank me later. Right now, just wait here."

"Under the snow?!"

"No, under that canopy over there. I'll be right back."

Felix groaned in frustration and pulled the hood over his head. For extra precaution, he took out his umbrella. He shivered against the breeze and prayed that he wouldn't get blown away. While he was lost in thought, two other figures came just outside the store.

"I'm going in. Why don't you wait out here?"

"Why can't I go in with you?" Joy asked suspiciously.

"Duh, because I don't have a gift for you yet! I mean I was shocked you came back so suddenly and I can't leave you as the only person without a gift. Mom and dad do that too with your parents. A last-minute-shopping is always a good backup plan to anyone who shows up unexpectedly... even if it's hours before Christmas. Stay here, find some shade, and I'll be back in a few," Desiree ordered and entered the shop.

Joy sighed and took out her umbrella. Once opened, it was released from her grip and started to fly away from her.

"Hey! Get back here!" Joy exclaimed.

"Dang it... what is she doing in there?" Felix grumbled. He flinched slightly as he felt an object hit him. An umbrella? he thought. His reflexes kicked in and immediately grabbed the umbrella the moment it began to escape him. He looked around, hoping to find anyone who owned it.

"That's mine!" Joy exclaimed.

"Ah, s-sorry! Here you go," Felix apologized and handed the umbrella back. Their eyes never met once. But the moment their fingers lightly brushed against each other once Joy took the umbrella, made both their minds click. Something was there and they couldn't grasp it.

"No! Don't be. I'm the one who's sorry! I was being... inept," Joy apologized back. Why was she feeling shy around this person so suddenly?

"Blame the wind. I'm surprised I wasn't blown away yet," Felix chuckled. They still didn't look at each other. "I-I'm sorry I didn't notice right away... I-I was thinking about something."

That had Joy curious. Then again, that would be insensitive of her to ask what a stranger was thinking. But she felt she should ask anyway. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you thinking of?"

Felix felt his heart race for some reason. Was it out of fear because some stranger was asking him something personal? Or was it something else? "T-that's my business only. Sorry."

"O-oh... sorry." There was a still of silence, both of them breathing in and out during each passing moment. That's when Joy broke the silence. "If you must know, I've been feeling a little... nostalgic."

"Isn't everyone?" Felix sighed.

"Yes, but- oh, I don't know. I just miss someone that's all. And I feel like I'm to blame for it. I mean I know I shouldn't be telling you this, but I kind of messed up one night. Scratch that, I really DID mess up. I bet he found someone better," Joy sighed.

Felix found himself slightly more interested in this person. "What did you do- i-if you don't mind me asking?"

"Nah... I just... left him hanging I guess. Do you know that feeling where you're dying to be with someone but you can't because you're both not ready to get into a relationship yet?"

That question struck Felix real hard. He panted slightly, trying to catch his breath, and answered. "I know that feeling all too well. This girl was... oh, she was more than just any girl - she was like... a star. Someone that shines bright in my moments of darkness, someone who guides me through when I get lost, and someone... no matter how far apart she was, she was always there somehow... maybe even more than just being with me in spirit. She was everything I wanted in... the one. And yet I can't have her. Maybe I don't deserve her," he sighed sadly and wiped a single tear off his face. "S-sorry... I've gotten too emotional." And to a stranger too... good job, Felix, you just humiliated yourself.

Meanwhile, Joy felt her heart sting, but she too became interested in this man. Her hopes were filling up somehow. "Why don't you deserve her? Everyone deserves somebody so don't say that!"

"I... I just don't. I always thought she deserved better. Who would want to spend the rest of her life with an outcast anyway? And yet I said it! Those three cliche little words. And I screwed up badly. Now she's gone and... I'll never see her again."

"Who is this girl?" she asked almost rhetorically. Tears were threatening to fall from her face. No matter what answer he gave, whether it was who she thought it was, or if it was someone else, she will be left in tears.

"Joy... Joy Starlight. I tried to kiss her that night, but she rejected me. But I don't want to give up. I didn't want to get over her. I'd rather wait six years and counting until she was ready if I had to! My sister and I have been working hard to save money so we could pay her a surprise visit. At least so I could apologize for what I tried to do," Felix flinched and finally turned to face her. The woman he had spoken to now hung her head, dropped her umbrella and trembled before him. He gave her a look of concern.

"Why are you apologizing... I should be the one apologizing for pushing you away!" Joy sobbed.

"...What?" Felix felt his pupils dilate and his heart nearing explosion. Why was _she_ \- Everything became clear when she lifted the hood off her head. Her half-down hair blowing against her face and warm tears cascading down her burning cheeks. Her lips coughed up a smile - that same smile that made him become attracted to her in the first place - and her body remained still. He too dropped his umbrella, but kept his hood on.

"Did you... really do all that for me? Felix?"

For the first time, she felt afraid of him. She thought he gave up on her, and he thought the same thing. She couldn't move, she couldn't tackle him like she used to. And so, he did just that. He dashed forward, the sudden breeze pushing the hood off his face, and immediately threw his arms around her in a protective embrace. It was her smile, her voice, and the way he heard her say his name after so long, that made him do this. He felt her heart race on his chest, while she felt his heartbeat the moment she cried on his chest. Their legs weakened, which prompted them to burying their knees in the snow.

"Yes... yes I did," Felix finally answered. They pulled away from the hug and stared at each other for a moment, trying to process how much they changed. One thing's for sure, they look even better six years later.

"You know... you look better that way," Joy commented.

Felix smiled and helped her up as he stood. "So do you."

The two shared a short laugh before Felix cut to the chase. "So.. are we-"

"Well it's about time you recognized each other!" called a voice.

"Desiree...? What are you doing here?" Felix suddenly asked.

"Duh, I brought her here so she could see you. It was all part of the plan. You're welcome," flaunted Desiree.

"Plan? What plan?" Joy asked. Then she turned to see Sadie, which made her grin at its widest.

"Wait how did you know I was-" Felix paused then snared in Sadie's direction. "Were you in on this?!"

"Uh... enjoy your present and Merry Christmas...? I guess?" Sadie mumbled before getting tackled into a bear hug.

"SADIE! I missed you so much!" Joy sobbed elatedly. Felix shook his head, smiling, albeit a bit disappointed that their moment was ruined... again. Desiree saw right threw him and rested her elbow on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Felix. There's always tonight," Desiree hinted. Felix cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Uh... tonight?"

Desiree rolled her eyes. "At the Christmas party...?"

"Uh huh..."

Desiree flailed her arms out with frustration. "Never mind! You'll figure it out later."

"Okay?" Felix scratched his head awkwardly. Meanwhile Sadie and Joy exchanged giggles with each other, though even Joy was unaware of what's about to happen. Unknown to them, Angus just arrived and slapped Felix's back, earning a pained hiss from the Nerveling.

"So, are you a thing now?" Angus teased.

Felix felt his face burn and began to stutter, "W-wha.. w-wait... w-we didn't... I didn't... we-"

"I'll take that as a yes!" Angus concluded before slapping Felix's back once more. Joy blushed. Are they officially together now? They didn't even kiss yet!

Desiree turned around with a determined grin. "Sorry, Angus, it's not official until they _make it_ official! Now, get dressed, everyone. Tonight's going to be the best Christmas party ever!"

* * *

The sun finally set that day, and night fell, making the falling snow look like it were glowing with the moonlight. The streets were lit in red and green, and the cafe stood out the most throughout the neighborhood of closed shops. Everyone was dressed in cocktail dresses, suits, and even knitted sweaters. The tree wasn't filled with presents but everyone in the cafe was full of their Christmas spirit. Everyone was dancing to the music, and some tried to avoid the mistletoe as much as possible. There was a feast and everyone was digging in. The Starlights had to come in late, as they had to bring the final touches to the Christmas tree.

"I really like your dress, Sadie! I definitely should've chosen an off-shoulder for you before prom," Desiree complimented, who wore a frilly forest green v-neck dress.

"Uh thanks, I guess," Sadie mumbled shyly. Her self-esteem was still low when other people complimented her, but learned to adjust in things that used to make her feel uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Bing Bong, Angus and Felix were over by the bar table.

"Seriously, you're still drinking water? Try some champagne for once! You gotta learn to be a _real_ man, Felix!" Angus encouraged.

"Nah, I'm good. I like to keep myself... _pure_ , if you will," Felix declined.

"You're not going to be 'pure' forever. Even if you don't drink for the rest of your life," Angus informed.

Felix blushed madly and covered his face remorsefully. "Can you not elucidate that any further, please?"

Angus laughed and patted his back. "Of course I won't! Don't worry about it. I mean I could just to spite you but-"

"OKAY that's it, I'm leaving," Felix snapped and exited his seat.

"What? Hey come on, I was just mucking around!" Angus chuckled.

"I know, but still!"

Bing Bong remained silent and smiled throughout their conversation. The fathers who eavesdropped at their conversation exchanged smirks and snorts as Felix left the discussion. The moment he left, they all started laughing with each other. The mothers on the other hand shook their heads.

"Until now, they're still immature," Angie groaned.

"Oh, come off it, Angie. We're used to it now," Diana chuckled.

"I'm not... but I suppose I find it comical," Sam answered while looking away shyly.

As there was a knock on their door, the Starlight family entered.

"JOY TO THE WORLD! THE STARLIGHTS HAVE ARRIVED!" Jay sang.

Jolie punched his shoulder playfully. "You're being too loud, silly!"

"Aw, come on, Jo, where's your Christmas spirit?" Jay teased only for his wife to roll her eyes contentedly.

"It's about time you showed up... again!" Andy greeted.

"Merry Christmas to you too. Now, care to help me hang this?" Jay said as he took out the last decoration to go on their tree: the star. Everyone gasped.

"Brilliant! I'll hang it for you guys!" Bing Bong offered.

Jay shook his head. "No, no, Mr. Mayor, I think we can-"

"No, I insist! Allow me."

Jay grinned and nodded in defeat. "Alright, you win. Just be careful with it. I'll help you assemble it!"

"Thank you! Joy, just put the presents under the tree while I add these gingerbreads to our feast," Jolie requested.

"Sure, mom!" Joy entered the cafe wearing a sparkling golden, heart-shaped dress. Her hair was tied in a high, curled up bun with a glittery star clip keeping it in place, while her fringe rested on the side of her face. The sight rendered Felix breathless. He watched her carry a bag overflown with gifts.

"Whoa, that's a lot of presents," Freddie commented.

"It is!" Jay nodded. "You okay up there, Mr. Mayor?"

"I got it! And... there!" Bing Bong said.

"Yes! Alright everyone, turn off the cafe lights and feast your eyes!" Jay announced. As Andy switched the lights off, all the Christmas lights and decorations stood out in the room. The star had its own light and radiated a dazzling glow that complemented the scenery. Everyone gasped and sighed in awe. Desiree felt Angus interlace his hand with hers. Sadie and Felix helped Freddie to his feet. He could walk again. Not too far, but certainly at a close distance. Sam placed her arm around him to support him, which he smiled against. He felt her lean on him and Sadie holding his hand. Felix turned to him and smiled warmly.

"Merry Christmas, dad," he greeted in advance. Freddie quivered and ruffled with Felix's hair.

"Merry Christmas, son."

With that, everyone exchanged their advanced greetings, and gestures of familial, loving, and friendly affections.

"Never thought I'd say this but, you were right. This _is_ the best Christmas party ever," he muttered.

Desiree smiled warmly and leaned next to him. "Yeah."

Joy smiled at the loving atmosphere before her. Everyone was experiencing what she always felt: happiness. No one felt sad, disgusted, angered, nor afraid. They were all sharing the Christmas spirit.

"Sweetie, would you mind placing the presents underneath the tree?" Jolie requested once more.

"O-oh, right!" As Joy lifted the bag, a few presents started to slip out. Felix noticed this and rushed to her.

"I can help," he offered.

"N-no it's okay, I-" The moment Joy leaned down to grab the fallen presents, more started to fall out. "- don't got it..." she mumbled, feeling mortified. For some reason, nobody came to help except Felix.

"Hey, four hands are better than two," Felix said then winked at her. The Starlight blushed at the sudden memory that flashed in her mind; when she helped him up on their first day. Joy giggled and tucked a loose strand behind her ear shyly, her eyes averting his gaze. The two flinched only to look at everyone staring at them, many of them snickering.

"S-sorry... I feel mortified. I'll get these presents under that tree so don't worry!" Joy assured them.

"Don't worry about that, dear," Jolie said, unsure of what else to say.

"Right now, I think you have something else to worry about," Desiree snickered and gestured her eyes at whatever was above them. Without looking, both of them easily guessed what was over them. They immediately glanced above them, and there it was.

A mistletoe.

A million thoughts raced through their minds while everyone else watched knowingly and otherwise awkwardly. Their eyes refused to meet and their hands were close to touching. Both were knelt on the soft, clean carpet, and everyone else waited for a response, while they waited for their reaction. Joy looked at her parents for approval. She felt a smile form as they nodded once, smiling back. Then she hung her head down, her cerulean eyes locked on Felix's lavender ones.

"Y - You're okay with this... right?"

Felix scratched his head and looked away. So this was what Desiree meant. "I-I don't know. I don't want to get pushed away again."

"Don't worry, my parents are okay with it now."

"But do you still... like me... that way?" Felix breathed.

"You wanna lean in to find out?" Joy giggled innocently.

Felix gulped and blushed madly once more. "I-I-I-"

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF STARNERVE JUST KISS EACH OTHER ALREADY!" Angus finally snapped. Everyone stared at him in shock. "What? I don't want another moment ruined between these two."

"You just ruined it, ya brickhead!" scolded Desiree.

"Actually, he's not kidding. Their moments get ruined all the time," Sadie hissed. "Starnerve... wherever he got that from, I kinda like it for some reason," she then mumbled.

"Wait! Just give me a sec," Felix exclaimed. The room silenced at that moment. He took a deep breath and whispered almost confidently.

"Joy... will you be my... my Star?"

Joy's eyes widened in shock. Tears of joy cascaded down her cheeks. She coughed up a smile, threw her arms around him, and finally...

...Kissed.

It was like a crescendo was conducted in the air. Time stopped, sparks flew, hands finally touched, and butterflies danced in ther stomachs as they were trapped in pure bliss. Felix felt like fainting, but forget that, he was a lot stronger than he used to be. He gently pulled her in and kissed back, only for Joy to smile and giggle somewhere in between.

Minutes later, they both pulled away, blushing, before their eyes fluttered open. Their hands gripped together tightly, Felix's hand protectively covering Joy's.

"Yes, yes I will," Joy finally both smiled lovingly at each other and let their foreheads touch.

"Merry Christmas," they said altogether. Then they giggled shyly before realizing that everyone was still watching.

Everyone watching smiled knowingly, some released tears of joy, and others clapped softly. Angus had that look, the 'it's about time' look. He and Sadie shared the same look and nodded knowingly. Desiree wiped a tear from her face while Angus handed her a handkerchief, both hands locked together.

"You put that there didn't you?" Desiree whispered to Sadie.

"Maybe," Sadie whispered back. Desiree chuckled and placed her arm around her.

"You did good. Alright, lovebirds, Mistletoe time's over. Congratulations you two! It's about time," Desiree said.

"You finally did it, Felix," Sadie said.

"Took ya long enough!" added Angus.

Joy and Felix pulled away nervously. Then Felix made the first move by picking up a gift. "Here, I'll help."

Joy blinked and went back to picking up the presents.

"Thanks," she said sweetly. Felix could only smile back.

"Great! Now that the presents are underneath the tree, how about we begin our Christmas dinner before midnight?" suggested Diana. Everyone gave nods of approval and went to the compiled dinner table.

"Now you're talking! I'm starving!" exclaimed Angus.

"Ugh, I hope I don't gain any weight by tomorrow. Imagine how much of a dent that'll leave on my career," Desiree complained.

"I could go for some comfort food. I'm the only one without a boyfriend now," Sadie whimpered.

"Sadie, if anyone dares to date you, let alone hit on you, he'll have to go through me," Felix warned.

"You're the best big brother ever," Sadie mumbled.

"I know."

"So, since we have so much to talk about, I'd like to know what happened while I was away. How did college life go for you guys?" Joy suggested.

"I have a better idea, how about you talk about your college life. We weren't there so none of us knew what happened at all," Felix suggested back. The Starlight stared at him and smiled cheerfully.

"I'd be happy to start! But just so you know, no school year was better than the one I had with you guys. It all started in January..."

And that was their night before Christmas, six years after their senior year. Everyone said their prayers, gave their thanks, exchanged greetings, laughed at their jokes, and whispered sweet nothings. The atmosphere was fresh and so was the food. Positive emotions blended all around them: laughter, happiness, enthusiasm, all kinds of love: friendship, familial love, romantic love, including that new found romance that blossomed only moments ago. Stories are yet to be told, presents are yet to be opened, a new year is yet to begin, and all kinds of emotions are yet to be shared. After all, it's only the end of the beginning and the beginning of a new life!

What could happen?

* * *

 **Well, I'm back. And I'm thrilled and at the same time sad to give you the epilogue, or the true end of the story. It's been a long run, hasn't it? This story is a year and a month old. Can you believe it? And I just want to say thank you to EVERYONE - every reviewer, guest or official, every follower, and every user who favorited this. Sure I lost many of them along the way, but I'm thankful to those who continued to stay tuned. I apologize for taking too long with this chapter, but I'm true to my word. This story has been submitted in December. Mission accomplished!**

 **This story is more of a 'sayonara I'm done' kind of chapter because lately I've been disappointed with being a member of this fandom, or fanfiction in general... for reasons I do not wish to explain. And for one last round, I'll reply to your reviews. Any reviews beyond this chapter for FF users will be replied to, and guest reviews will be replied to on the story itself, but only if it's a question. To all my guests who read this story, thanks so much for tuning in and enjoying this story! I apologize if it was too cliche for some of you or if you despise romance or the pairings yet still read through it anyway. I thank you but it wasn't necessary to ready something you don't like. I respect it if you don't but all the guiltier I will feel if you read it for the sake of reading it or you're reading it because you're my friend, you like my other works, etc. I NEVER encouraged ANYONE to read my stories. Ever.**

 **Now for those of you asking about the Truth or Dare, please be patient and bear with me because I have a very busy life now and it's going to get a lot busier next year. But to answer all your questions, yes it shall be continued. Don't give up hope. Now for old times' sake, review time!**

 **CNBW: Thanks so much for reading this story! I apologize for the last chapter. I hope this one makes up for it. :)**

 **ponystoriesandothers: It's all chill mate, I did not recommend for you to read this, all the more because I know and respect how you feel about Emotional pairings.**

 **HollyAnne: Cheers a heap! Also, welcome to DeviantArt!**

 **WriterofBliss: Hi there! Thanks a heap and yeah I was disappointed with that chapter. And to think everyone was looking forward to it. I hope you enjoyed this one at least.**

 **VickyT36: I hope this chapter answers your question. XD**

 **XxMoonlight AuraxX: Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter, albeit I wish I did better with it.**

 **BusyBee2016: Hello there! If you can share it on a different site (Tumblr is a good example) or whatever you have, it's cool! And just send me a link afterwards. Whoops, my first name error throughout the story! XDD Thanks for observing. :D The thing Freddie wanted Felix to know was that Joy couldn't date him because she wasn't ready. Also, YES! DECEMBER HAS ARRIVED AND I KEPT MY WORD.**

 **Sydney: Thanks a heap mate! And thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you're still tuned to have read this ending!**

 **Well, that was all I can show you. :)  
Also, (belated) MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!**


End file.
